October 18 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:

Now let us fall down before the face of our good God, acknowledging our faults, desiring him that it would please him to cleanse us, and touch us so to the quick that we may learn to renounce whatever is of this world and of our flesh, and that we may take pains to come to him; yea, and that in such a sort that he may receive us as his children.

And seeing it has pleased him to bring us to faith, by the knowledge of his truth, that it would please him to guide us even to the end, and hold us fast by the hand, that we never may be turned away from his holy calling. —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.