DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
Lord, you have been very patient with us. Many have been our provocations, many have been your chastisements, but, “your strokes are fewer than our crimes, and lighter than our guilt.” “You have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” Blessed be your name!
And now fulfill that part of the covenant wherein you have said, “A new heart also I will give thee and a right spirit I will put within you. I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me.” Hold us fast and then we shall hold fast to you. Turn us and we shall be turned; keep us and we shall keep your statutes.
Amen.
VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“Serve the LORD with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling.” (Psalm 2:11)
Let reverence and humility be mingled with your service. He is a great God, and you are but puny creatures; bend, therefore, in lowly worship, and let a fatherly fear mingle with all your obedience to the great Father of the Ages.
There must always be a holy fear mixed with the Christian’s joy. This is a sacred compound, yielding a sweet smell, and we must see to it that we burn no other upon the altar. Fear, without joy, is torment; and joy, without holy fear, would be presumption.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
Christmas Gift Idea for Parents (New and Old)
Parenting can be exhausting. And parenting faithfully is impossible without daily help from the grace of Christ. If you are still looking for a Christmas gift for a parent in your life, check out Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp.
This book is full of encouraging, grace-saturated, biblical truth that will help parents persevere. This is not another parenting book that leaves parents feeling condemned for not doing enough —this is a life-giving book that will leave parents amazed at everything God has done.
This book is a great read for parents in any stage of the journey, so I hope you’ll grab a few copies for friends on your Christmas list this year.