Tuesday, September 23, 2008

It came to a point Sunday afternoon, where I needed to be reminded of the Lord's presence. It was a long day, following a long week, and a long month. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening was in the pile on the shelf by my bed, and this was the reading for Sunday morning (which was what I happened to look at first), and started off this way:
How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in his saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened;
conscious of our sinfulness, and deploring our unfaithfulness; and we fear that God’s people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies, that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces. But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us.
All of the readings from that morning through to this morning's, hit home. Here is a bit of this morning's, which was on the topic "accepted in the beloved."
Some Christians seem to be accepted in their own experience, at least, that is their apprehension. When their spirit is lively, and their hopes bright, they think God accepts them, for they feel so high, so heavenly-minded, so drawn above the earth! But when their souls cleave to the dust, they are the victims of the fear that they are no longer accepted. If they could but see that all their high joys do not exalt them, and all their low despondencies do not really depress them in their Father’s sight, but that they stand accepted in One who never alters, in One who is always the beloved of God, always perfect, always without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, how much happier they would be, and how much more they would honor the Saviour! Rejoice then, believer, in this: thou art accepted “in the beloved.” Thou lookest within, and thou sayest, “There is nothing acceptable here!” But look at Christ, and see if there is not everything acceptable there. Thy sins trouble thee; but God has cast thy sins
behind his back, and thou art accepted in the Righteous One.
These really ministered to me where I am at right now, and thought perhaps they might do that for someone else as well.

1 comment:

  1. I love it when I'm running with my "feelings" and I stumble upon a passage or a devotional or a song that speaks directly to it. Feelings are so fleeting and His love is constant...

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