DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
Oh, that we might have such fellowship with God this morning, that we might defy Satan, defy unbelief, defy the flesh, defy the world, with a holy joy which comes not of the creature, and which the creature cannot mar—an “inexpressible and glorious joy,” a drink out of the eternal fountains, which well up from the deep which lie under, in the immutable and everlasting love and decree of God. Oh, let it be so with every child of yours at this good hour.
Now we do, with all our hearts, ask you to gather in the rest of your family who, as yet, are far off from you. O mighty grace, seek out the prodigal! O mighty love, receive the prodigals when they come back! O mighty grace, change their hearts and make them to love the great Father.
Amen.
VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy…” (1 Peter 1:8)
Why does the apostle say that we rejoice with joy inexpressible? Is it not, first, because this joy is too great to be told? He is indeed rich who cannot count his wealth; he has so much that he does not know how much he has. He is indeed full of joy who has so much joy that he cannot tell anyone how much he has.
I think also that Peter calls our joy “inexpressible” because, if we were to try to explain or describe it to carnal men, they could not understand us. You cannot explain to a person who has never tasted honey how sweet it is. Neither can you explain to a man who does not know the joy of the Lord how joyous a thing it is. He could not comprehend what your words meant; you would be talking to him in an altogether unknown tongue.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
A devotional to help you run from sin and cling to Christ
Today we prayed that God would help us know the deep joy that we have in him. God loves to answer this prayer, because it gives him an opportunity to show how wonderfully glorious his grace is.
One resource that’s been helpful as I’ve studied God’s Word and his enjoy the wonder of his grace is Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul Tripp. This book features 52 short devotionals (one for every week of the year) on Psalm 51. This is an incredible resource to help you remember the horrors of your sin and the wonders of God’s amazing grace.
You could read the book over the next few months with just five minutes a day, or read one devotional each week for the next year. I can’t think of a better way to spend your time than reflecting on God’s mercy towards broken sinners like us.
I hope you’ll buy a copy and enjoy mediating on God’s unending mercy with me.