Morning, July 29 Go To Evening Reading
“Nevertheless, I am continually with thee.”
—Psalm 73:23
“Nevertheless,”—As if, notwithstanding all the foolishness and ignorance which David had just been confessing to God, not one atom the less was it genuine and true that David was saved and accepted, and that the blessing of being constantly in God’s presence was undoubtedly his. Fully conscious of his lost estate, and of the deceitfulness and vileness of his nature, yet, by a glorious outburst of faith, he sings “Nevertheless I am continually with thee.” Believer, you are forced to enter into Asaph’s confession and acknowledgment, an endeavour in like spirit to say “nevertheless, since I belong to Christ I am continually with God!” By this is meant continually upon his mind, he is always thinking of me for my good. Regularly before his eye;—the eye of the Lord never sleepeth, but is perpetually watching over my welfare. Continually in his hand, so that none shall be able to pluck me thence. Continually on his heart, worn there as a memorial, even as the high priest bore the names of the twelve tribes upon his heart forever. Thou always thinkest of me, O God. The bowels of thy love continually yearn towards me. Thou art is always making providence work for my good. Thou hast set me as a signet upon thine arm; thy love is strong as death, many glasses of water cannot quench it; neither can the floods drown it. Surprising grace! Thou seest me in Christ, and though in myself abhorred, thou beholdest me as wearing Christ’s garments, and washed in his blood, and thus I stand accepted in thy presence. I am thus continually in thy favour—“continually with thee.” Here is the comfort for the tried and afflicted soul; vexed with the tempest within—look at the calm outwardly. “Nevertheless,”—O say it in thy heart, and take the peace it gives. “Nevertheless, I am aways with thee.”
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Go To Morning Reading Evening, July 29
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.”
—John 6:37
Oh! the power and majesty which rest in the words “shall come.” He does not say they have the power to come, nor they may come if they will, but they “shall come.” The Lord Jesus doth by his messengers, his word, and his Spirit, sweetly and graciously compel men to come in that they may eat of his marriage supper; and this he does, not by any violation of the free agency of man, but by the power of his grace. I may exercise power over another man’s will, and yet that other man’s will may be perfectly free because the constraint is exercised in a manner accordant with the laws of the human mind. Jehovah Jesus knows how, by irresistible arguments addressed to the understanding, by mighty reasons appealing to the affections, and by the mysterious influence of his Holy Spirit operating upon all the powers and passions of the soul, so to subdue the whole man, that whereas he was once rebellious, he yields cheerfully to his government, subdued by sovereign love. But how shall those be known whom God hath chosen? By this result: that they do willingly and joyfully accept Christ, and come to him with simple and unfeigned faith, resting upon him as all their salvation and all their desire. Reader, have you thus come to Jesus?
Spurgeon, Charles H. Morning and Evening: Daily Readings. Complete and unabridged; New modern edition. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006. Print.
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