Photo from Unsplash

December 7

Morning

Base things of the world hath God chosen. — 1 Cor 1:28

Walk the streets by moonlight, if you dare and you will see sinners then. Watch when the night is dark, and the wind is howling, and the picklock is grating in the door and you will see sinners then. Go to yonder jail, and walk through the wards, and mark the men with heavy over-hanging brows, men whom you would not like to meet at night and there are sinners there. Go to the Reformatories, and note those who have betrayed a lawless juvenile depravity and you will see sinners there. Go across the seas to the place where a man will gnaw a bone upon which is reeking human flesh and there is a sinner there. Go where you will—you need not ransack earth to find sinners, for they are common enough. You may find them in every lane and street of every city, and town, and village, and hamlet.

It is for such that Jesus died. If you will select me the vilest specimen of humanity, if he is but born of woman, I will have hope for him yet, because Jesus Christ has come to seek and to save sinners. Electing love has selected some of the worst to be made the best. Grace turns pebbles of the brook—into jewels for His royal crown. He transforms worthless dross—into pure gold. Redeeming love has set apart many of the worst of mankind to be the reward of the Savior’s passion. Effectual grace calls forth many of the vilest of the vile to sit at the table of mercy! Therefore let none despair.

Reader, by that love looking out of Jesus’ tearful eyes, by that love streaming from those bleeding wounds, by that faithful love, that strong love, that pure, unselfish, and abiding love; by the heart and by the affections of the Savior’s compassion—we implore you not to turn away as though it were nothing to you; but believe on Him and you shall be saved. Trust your soul with Him and He will bring you to His Father’s right hand in glory everlasting!


Evening

I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. — 1 Cor 9:22

Paul’s great object was not merely to instruct and to improve but to save. Anything short of this would have disappointed him; he would have men renewed in heart, forgiven, sanctified, saved. Have our Christian labors been aimed at anything below this great point? Then let us amend our ways, for of what avail will it be at the last great day to have taught and moralized men—if they appear before God unsaved? Our skirts will be blood-red, if through life we have sought inferior objects, and forgotten that men need to be saved.

Paul knew the ruin of man’s natural state, and did not try to educate him but to save him! He saw men sinking to hell, and did not talk of refining them but of saving from the wrath to come! To compass their salvation, he gave himself up with untiring zeal to telling abroad the gospel, to warning and beseeching men to be reconciled to God. His prayers were importunate and his labors incessant. To save souls was his consuming passion, his ambition, his calling. He became a servant to all men, toiling for his race, feeling a woe within him if he preached not the gospel. He laid aside his preferences to prevent prejudice; he submitted his will in things indifferent; and if men would but receive the gospel, he raised no questions about forms or ceremonies. The gospel was the one all-important business with him. If he might save some—he would be content. This was the crown for which he strove, the sole and sufficient reward of all his labors and self-denials.

Dear reader, have you and I lived to win souls at this noble rate? Are we possessed with the same all-absorbing desire? If not, why not? Jesus died for sinners—cannot we live for them? Where is our tenderness? Where our love to Christ, if we don’t seek His honor in the salvation of men? O that the Lord would saturate us through and through with an undying zeal for the souls of men!


Morning and Evening - December 7

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


Download YouDevotion