Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

December 20– Morning

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

“Listen! I have loved you with an everlasting love.” 

—Jeremiah 31:3

Sometimes the Lord Jesus tells his Church his thoughts of love. He doesn’t think it’s enough to say it behind her back, but in her very presence he says, ‘You are altogether lovely, my love.” It’s true that this isn’t his ordinary method; he is a wise lover and knows when to keep back the expression of his love and when to let it out; but there are times when he will make no secret of it; times when he will put it beyond all dispute in the souls of his people.

The Holy Spirit is often pleased, in a most gracious manner, to communicate with our spirits concerning Jesus’ great love for us. No voice is heard from the clouds, and no vision is seen in the night. But we have a more certain indication than either of these. If an angel should fly from heaven and inform us personally of the Savior’s love, it wouldn’t provide any more evidence than we already have from the Holy Spirit. Ask those who have lived the nearest to the gates of heaven, and they will tell you that they’ve known times when Christ’s love towards them has been a fact so clear and sure that they couldn’t doubt it any more than they could question their own existence.

Yes, I have known times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord which have lifted me up to the heights of assurance. We have had confidence to lean our heads against the Master, and he has killed our doubts by the closeness of his embrace. His love has been sweeter than wine to our souls. [M&E]