August 25 Daily Devotional

Bible Text:

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. —Job 31:5, 6

Devotional:

Let us learn also to humble ourselves, seeing that the devil is trying to put us to sleep by hypocrisy in order that we may not recognize our faults, and that they may grow worse and worse.

Let us then look within ourselves, and after we have examined our imperfections, let us cry out before God, "Alas, Lord! thou hast given me thy grace to go forward in thy service; I do my best, I strive, I resist all my passions, and I fight against myself; and yet I am not righteous before thee, but there is much wrong with me still."

That is how the faithful, after striving to the limit of their strength, ought always to retain this opinion when there remains any sinfulness mingled with the good which God enables them to do; they must learn to plead guilty before him and to humble themselves, that they may receive grace.

But although we have many fantasies running in our heads from day to day, and thereby perceive that there is terrible corruption in our nature, yet we must not lose heart, but march on still, praying God that he who has begun to give us progress will continue to set us forward and increase in us the strength of his Holy Spirit.

And when the devil comes to incite us to evil, let him not succeed against us, but let us look for help from above; and let us pray that God's Spirit may so reign in our hearts that though there be wicked affections there, they may be so bridled and fettered that they should not toss us hither and thither, but that we may stand steadfast, and be always ready to say, "It is good that God should govern us, and that we should follow his holy will." —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.