Morning & Evening for January 31st - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Morning
The
Lord our Righteousness.
Jeremiah 23:6
It will always give a
Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and
peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of
Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast
and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not
think they would if they could always see their
perfection in Christ. There are some who are always
talking about corruption, and the depravity of the
heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is
quite true, but why not go a little further, and
remember that we are "perfect in Christ Jesus." It
is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their
own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but
surely if we call to mind that "Christ is made unto
us righteousness," we shall be of good cheer. What
though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault
me, though there may be many things to be
experienced before I get to heaven, those are done
for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is
nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it
all. On the cross He said, "It is finished!" and if
it be finished, then am I complete in Him, and can
rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,
"Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith." You
will not find on this side heaven a holier people
than those who receive into their hearts the
doctrine of Christ's righteousness. When the
believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on
Him solely for salvation; and I believe that,
however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;" then
there rises up as a motive of gratitude this
thought-- "Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not
love Him and serve Him, seeing that I am saved by
His merits?" "The love of Christ constraineth us,"
"that they which live should not henceforth live
unto themselves but unto Him which died for them."
If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly
value imparted righteousness.
Evening
Then
Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran
Cushi.
2 Samuel 18:23
Running is not
everything, there is much in the way which we
select: a swift foot over hill and down dale will
not keep pace with a slower traveller upon level
ground. How is it with my spiritual journey, am I
labouring up the hill of my own works and down into
the ravines of my own humiliations and resolutions,
or do I run by the plain way of "Believe and live"?
How blessed is it to wait upon the Lord by faith!
The soul runs without weariness, and walks without
fainting, in the way of believing. Christ Jesus is
the way of life, and He is a plain way, a pleasant
way, a way suitable for the tottering feet and
feeble knees of trembling sinners: am I found in
this way, or am I hunting after another track such
as priestcraft or metaphysics may promise me? I
read of the way of holiness, that the wayfaring
man, though a fool, shall not err therein: have I
been delivered from proud reason and been brought
as a little child to rest in Jesus' love and blood?
If so, by God's grace I shall outrun the strongest
runner who chooses any other path. This truth I may
remember to my profit in my daily cares and needs.
It will be my wisest course to go at once to my
God, and not to wander in a roundabout manner to
this friend and that. He knows my wants and can
relieve them, to whom should I repair but to
Himself by the direct appeal of prayer, and the
plain argument of the promise. "Straightforward
makes the best runner." I will not parlay with the
servants, but hasten to their master.
In reading this passage, it strikes me that if men
vie with each other in common matters, and one
outruns the other, I ought to be in solemn
earnestness so to run that I may obtain. Lord, help
me to gird up the loins of my mind, and may I press
forward towards the mark for the prize of my high
calling of God in Christ Jesus.