Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

October 24– Evening

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

“[Jesus] began to wash the disciples’ feet.'”

—John 13:5

The Lord Jesus loves his people so much that every day he is still doing for them many things that are like washing their soiled feet. He deals with their poorest actions; he feels their deepest sorrow; he hears their weakest prayers, and he forgives their every sin. He is still their servant as well as their Friend and Master. He not only performs majestic deeds for them, like wearing the crown on his head and precious jewels on his breastplate, but he humbly and patiently goes among his people with the basin and the towel.

He does this when he removes from us day by day our constant weaknesses and sins. Last night, you bowed your knee and mournfully confessed that much of your conduct was not worthy of your profession. And even tonight you must mourn afresh that you have fallen again into the selfsame folly and sin from which special grace delivered you long ago. And yet Jesus will have great patience with you; he will hear your confession of sin; he will say to you, “I am willing; be clean.” He will again apply the blood of sprinkling, speak peace to your conscience, and remove every spot.

It is a great act of eternal love when Christ once for all absolves the sinner and receives him into the family of God. But what condescending patience follows as the Savior, with much long-suffering, bears the recurring sins of his wayward disciple, day by day and hour by hour washing away the multiplied transgressions of his erring, yet much-loved, child!

To dry up a flood of rebellion is something marvelous! But to endure the constant dripping of repeated offenses– to bear with a perpetual trying of patience–, this is divine indeed! While we find comfort and peace in our Lord’s daily cleansing, it should cause us to increase our watchfulness and stir our desire for holiness. And I wonder, is that true of you? [M&E]