Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

October 14– Morning

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

“I consider all things to have no value compared to the greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” 

—Philippians 3:8

Spiritual knowledge of Christ is, first of all, personal knowledge. I cannot know Jesus through someone else’s acquaintance with him. No, I must know him myself; I must know him on my own account. And this knowledge must be intelligent; that is, I must know him, not as one may dream he would be, but as the Word reveals him to be. I must know his natures, divine and human. I must know his offices, his attributes, his works, his shame, his glory. I must meditate upon him until I comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and know “the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.”

It will also be an affectionate knowledge of him; indeed, if I know him at all, I must love him. An ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning.

Our knowledge of him will be a satisfying knowledge. When I know my Savior, my mind will be full to the brim. I will feel that I have the very thing my spirit longed for. This is the bread that causes the one who eats to never hunger.

At the same time, it will be an exciting knowledge; the more I know of his love, the more I will want to know. The higher I climb, the more my footsteps are invited to go higher still. I want more as I get more. Like the miser’s treasure, the gold I have makes me want even more.

To conclude, this knowledge of Christ Jesus will be a most happy one; in fact, so elevating that sometimes it will completely carry me above all trials, doubts, and sorrows. And, although I am just a man and this life is filled with days of trouble, my knowledge of Christ will fling about me the immortality of the ever-living Savior and wrap me in the golden cloth of his eternal joy.

Let us sit as Jesus’ feet and learn more of him today. [M&E]