Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

August 29– Morning

 by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“Have mercy upon me, O God.” 

—Psalm 51:1

When the great missionary, William Carey, was near death, his friends asked him, “What passage of Scripture will you select as the text for your funeral sermon?” He replied, “Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let it be from the words, ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; according to your many mercies, blot out my sins.” He directed in his will that his gravestone should contain only… his name, birth date, the date of death, and the words, “A wretched, poor, and helpless worm; on Thy kind arms I fall.”

It is only on the footing of free grace that even the most experienced and honored of the saints can approach God. The best of men are conscious above all others that they are men at best. Mere professing Christians may boast in their faith, but true children of God cry only for mercy in face of their many sins. We need the Lord’s mercy upon even our so-called good works, prayers, preaching, alms-giving– the holiest of our activities. The blood was not only sprinkled on the doorposts of Israel’s houses, but upon the sanctuary, the mercy-seat, and the altar. If mercy is needed to cover even our spiritual duties, then how much more so our sins?

How sweet the remembrance that inexhaustible mercy is waiting to be gracious to us, to restore us and make our broken bones rejoice! [M&E]