Photo from Unsplash

April 16

Morning

The precious blood of Christ. — 1 Pet 1:19

Standing at the foot of the cross, we see hands, and feet, and side—all distilling crimson streams of precious blood.

It is “precious” because of its redeeming and atoning efficacy. By it the sins of Christ’s people are atoned for; they are redeemed from under the law; they are reconciled to God, made one with Him.

Christ’s blood is also “precious” in its cleansing power. It “cleanses from all sin.” “Though your sins be as scarlet—they shall be as white as snow.” Through Jesus’ blood, there is not a spot left upon any believer, no wrinkle nor any such thing remains. O precious blood, which makes us clean, removing the stains of abundant iniquity, and permitting us to stand accepted in the Beloved, notwithstanding the many ways in which we have rebelled against our God.

The blood of Christ is likewise “precious” in its preserving power. We are safe from the destroying angel under the sprinkled blood. Remember it is God’s seeing the blood—which is the true reason for our being spared. Here is comfort for us when our eye of faith is dim, for God’s eye is still the same. The blood of Christ is “precious” also in its sanctifying influence. The same blood which justifies by taking away sin, does in its after-action, quicken the new nature and leads it onward to subdue sin and to follow out the commands of God. There is no motive for holiness so great—as that which streams from the veins of Jesus!

And “precious,” unspeakably precious, is this blood, because it has an overcoming power. It is written, “They overcame through the blood of the Lamb.” How could they do otherwise? He who fights with the precious blood of Jesus—fights with a weapon which cannot know defeat. The blood of Jesus! Sin dies at its presence; death ceases to be death; heaven’s gates are opened. The blood of Jesus! we shall march on, conquering and to conquer, so long as we can trust its power!


Evening

And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. — Exod 17:12

So mighty was the prayer of Moses, that all depended upon it. The petitions of Moses routed the enemy—more than the fighting of Joshua. Yet both were needed. No, in the soul’s conflict, force and fervor, decision and devotion, valor and vehemence, must join their forces, and all will be well. You must wrestle with your sin but the major part of the wrestling must be done alone in private with God.

Moses grew weary, and then his friends assisted him. When at any time your prayer flags, let faith support one hand, and let holy hope uplift the other and prayer seating itself upon the stone of Israel, the rock of our salvation, will persevere and prevail.

Beware of faintness in devotion; if Moses felt it, who can escape? It is far easier to fight with sin in public—than to pray against it in private. It is remarked that Joshua never grew weary in the fighting but Moses did grow weary in the praying. The more spiritual an exercise—the more difficult it is for flesh and blood to maintain it. Let us cry, then, for special strength, and may the Spirit of God, who helps our infirmities, as He allowed help to Moses, enable us like him to continue with our hands steady “until the going down of the sun;” until the evening of life is over; until we shall come to the rising of a better sun in the land where prayer is swallowed up in praise!


Morning and Evening - April 16

Public domain content taken from Morning and Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon.


Download YouDevotion