February 23 Daily Devotional

Bible Text:

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: —I Timothy 1:5

Devotional:

Let us conclude, then, that faith is not merely in the brain, that it is no simple and bare knowledge, but it is an assurance which we have of the goodness of our God. And this it is that Saint Paul says in another place, for he compares the gospel to a looking glass, where God's face shows itself in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is said that in beholding his face we are changed from glory to glory to resemble God.

And Saint James also, when he shows how we ought to profit in the word of God, says that we must not have as it were a looking glass wherein a man goes and beholds his face, but as soon as he has turned his back sees it no more; we must not, says Saint James, have such a knowledge which vanishes away, and has no constancy in it, nor sure ground. For there is indeed a figure in a looking glass, but it is nothing but a representation.

How then? Let us have that looking glass of which Saint Paul speaks; that is to say, that in beholding God's face in it, we may be changed into it, and be made like unto him. And because this cannot be done in one day, we must grow up therein; and therefore he says from glory to glory. If we cannot at the first attempt be fully made like to the image of our God, let us at least strive unto it, and let us be more and more like it all the days of our life. —Sermons

John Calvin was the premier theologian of the Reformation, but also a pious and godly Christian pastor who endeavored throughout his life to point men and women to Christ. We are grateful to Reformation Heritage Books for permission to use John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart as our daily devotional for 2013 on the OPC Web site. You can currently obtain a printed copy of that book from Reformation Heritage Books.

Dr. Joel Beeke, who is editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, has this to say:

"Calvin shows us the piety of a Reformed theologian who speaks from the heart. Having tasted the goodness and grace of God in Jesus Christ, he pursued piety by seeking to know and do God’s will every day. He communed with Christ, practicing repentance, self-denial, and cross-bearing. Moreover, his theology worked itself out in heart-felt, Christ-honoring piety. The selections of this devotional bear this out, and hopefully will be used by God to direct pious hearts in our own day."

These devotional readings from John Calvin were compiled by John H. Kromminga. Be sure to read his "Introduction" to John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart.