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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING http://www.heartlight.org/
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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
MORNING:
"Sin ... exceeding sinful."
-- Romans 7:13
Beware of light thoughts of sin. At the time of conversion, the
conscience is so tender, that we are afraid of the slightest sin. Young
converts have a holy timidity, a godly fear lest they should offend
against God. But alas! very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe
fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world: the
sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow in after life, too
pliant, too easily yielding. It is sadly true, that even a Christian
may grow by degrees so callous, that the sin which once startled him
does not alarm him in the least. By degrees men get familiar with sin.
The ear in which the cannon has been booming will not notice slight
sounds. At first a little sin startles us; but soon we say, "Is it not
a little one?" Then there comes another, larger, and then another,
until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a little ill; and then
follows an unholy presumption: "We have not fallen into open sin. True,
we tripped a little, but we stood upright in the main. We may have
uttered one unholy word, but as for the most of our conversation, it
has been consistent." So we palliate sin; we throw a cloak over it; we
call it by dainty names. Christian, beware how thou thinkest lightly of
sin. Take heed lest thou fall by little and little. Sin, a little
thing? Is it not a poison? Who knows its deadliness? Sin, a little
thing? Do not the little foxes spoil the grapes? Doth not the tiny
coral insect build a rock which wrecks a navy? Do not little strokes
fell lofty oaks? Will not continual droppings wear away stones? Sin, a
little thing? It girded the Redeemer's head with thorns, and pierced
his heart! It made him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe. Could you
weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity, you would fly from it as
from a serpent, and abhor the least appearance of evil. Look upon all
sin as that which crucified the Saviour, and you will see it to be
"exceeding sinful."
EVENING:
"Thou shalt be called, Sought out."
-- Isaiah 62:12
The surpassing grace of God is seen very clearly in that we were not
only sought, but sought out. Men seek for a thing which is lost upon
the floor of the house, but in such a case there is only seeking, not
seeking out. The loss is more perplexing and the search more
persevering when a thing is sought out. We were mingled with the mire:
we were as when some precious piece of gold falls into the sewer, and
men gather out and carefully inspect a mass of abominable filth, and
continue to stir and rake, and search among the heap until the treasure
is found. Or, to use another figure, we were lost in a labyrinth; we
wandered hither and thither, and when mercy came after us with the
gospel, it did not find us at the first coming, it had to search for us
and seek us out; for we as lost sheep were so desperately lost, and had
wandered into such a strange country, that it did not seem possible
that even the Good Shepherd should track our devious roamings. Glory be
to unconquerable grace, we were sought out! No gloom could hide us, no
filthiness could conceal us, we were found and brought home. Glory be
to infinite love, God the Holy Spirit restored us!
The lives of some of God's people, if they could be written would fill
us with holy astonishment. Strange and marvellous are the ways which
God used in their case to find his own. Blessed be his name, he never
relinquishes the search until the chosen are sought out effectually.
They are not a people sought to-day and cast away to-morrow.
Almightiness and wisdom combined will make no failures, they shall be
called, "Sought out!" That any should be sought out is matchless grace,
but that we should be sought out is grace beyond degree! We can find no
reason for it but God's own sovereign love, and can only lift up our
heart in wonder, and praise the Lord that this night we wear the name
of "Sought out."
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