April 14 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me" (Luke 8:46).

Devotional

We must admit that the mortification of sin infinitely transcends the mightiest exertions of human power—it is "by the Spirit" that you must "put to death the deeds of the body..." (Rom. 8:13).

The Holy Spirit does this work by making you more aware of the existence of indwelling sin, by deepening your aspirations after holiness, by shedding abroad the love of God in your heart. But, above all, the Spirit mortifies sin in you, O believer, by disclosures of the Lord Jesus.

Leading you to the cross, he would show you that as Christ died for sin, so you must die to sin—and by the very same instrument too. One real, believing sight of the cross of Jesus!—oh, what a crucifying power it has! Standing beneath its tremendous shadow and gazing upon its divine victim, Paul exclaimed, "far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal. 6:14).

If you would accomplish anything in this great and necessary work of mortification, get near the Savior's cross. The Spirit effects it, but he does so through the instrumentality of the Atonement.

You must have a personal contact with Jesus. It is only this that draws forth his grace. When the poor woman in the Gospel touched the Savior, we are told that multitudes thronged him. And yet, in all that great crowd that pressed in upon him, there was only one who extracted the healing virtue.

In the same way, multitudes follow Christ externally. They attend his courts. They approach his ordinances. They speak well of his Name. And yet they know nothing of personal transaction with the Lord by faith. They crowd his path. They strew their branches in his way. They chant their hosannas. But of how few can Christ say, "Someone touched me!"

Oh, have more personal dealing with the Lord Jesus! He delights in this. It pleases him. It glorifies him. He bids you come and recount every personal feeling, and make known every need, and unveil every grief, and confide to his bosom each secret of your own. The crowd cannot hide you from his eye. He sees the poor and contrite. He takes note of the trembling and the lowly. He meets the uplifted glance. He feels the thrill of the gentle, hesitating, yet believing touch. "Someone touched me." Who? Is it you, my reader?

Jesus, keep me near the cross;
there a precious fountain,
free to all—a healing stream—
flows from Calvary's mountain.

Refrain: In the cross, in the cross,
be my glory ever;
till my raptured soul shall find
rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
love and mercy found me;
there the Sun of Righteousness
spread his wings around me.
(Refrain)

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
bring its scenes before me;
help me walk from day to day
with its shadow o'er me.
(Refrain)

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
hoping, trusting ever,
till I reach the golden strand
just beyond the river.
(Refrain)

(Fanny J. Crosby, 1869 [st. 2 alt., LEW, 1984])

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2025.