Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

 January 26– Evening

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

“And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds said.” 

—Luke 2:18

We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship; for when the soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God, though it may not express itself in song or with bowed head in humble prayer, yet it silently adores him. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as the One who is “Wonderful.”

The fact that God looks upon his fallen creatures, and, instead of sweeping them away with the broom of destruction, becomes their Redeemer and pays their ransom is, indeed, marvelous! And to each believer, redemption is most marvelous as he views it in relation to himself. It is a miracle of grace, indeed, that Jesus should lay aside the throne of heaven, but it is even more amazing that he has done so for you. Let your soul lose itself in wonder, for wonder is a very practical emotion. It will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving. It will cause godliness to grow within you, for you will be afraid to sin against such a love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of his dear Son will cause you to take the shoes off your feet because the place upon which you are standing has become holy ground.

You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope. If Jesus has done such marvelous things on your behalf, you will feel that heaven itself is not too great for your expectation. Who can be astonished at anything else after he has been astonished at the manger and the cross?

Dear reader, maybe you are not able to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem who told many around them what they had seen and heard. But you can at least join the circle of the worshippers before God’s throne by wondering at all that God in Christ has done for you. [M&E]