December 19 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 10:25–30

Devotional

The cry of the Christian religion is the gentle word, “Come.” The Old Covenant law harshly said, “Go, take heed to your steps as to the path in which you shall walk. Break the commandments, and you will perish; keep them, and you will live.” The Law was an administration of terror; it drove people before it as with a scourge. The Gospel draws with bands of love. Jesus is the good Shepherd going before his sheep, bidding them follow him, and ever leading them onwards with the sweet word, “Come.” The Law repels, the Gospel attracts. The Law shows the distance which there is between God and sinful humanity; the Gospel bridges that awful chasm and brings the sinner across it.

From the first moment of your spiritual life until you are ushered into glory, the language of Christ to you will be, “Come, come to me.” Just as a mother puts out her finger to her little child and woos it to walk by saying, “Come,” even so does Jesus. He will always be ahead of you, bidding you follow him as the soldier follows his captain. He will always go before you to pave your way and clear your path, and you will hear his animating voice calling you after him all through life. And while in the solemn hour of death, his sweet words with which he shall usher you into the heavenly world shall be, “Come, you blessed of my Father.”

No, even further, this is not only Christ’s cry to you, but, if you are a believer, this is your cry to Christ—“Come! come!” You will be longing for his second coming. You will be saying, “Amen! Come quickly. Even so, come Lord Jesus.” And you’ll be panting for nearer and closer communion with him. As his voice to you is “Come,” so your response to him will be, “Come, Lord, and abide with me. Come, and occupy alone the throne of my heart. Reign there without a rival and consecrate me entirely to your service.”

[Dec 16]

Extracted from C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening (public domain), language modernized by Larry E. Wilson.