February 27 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"For with you is the fountain of life" (Ps. 36:9).

Devotional

What a Fountain of Life is Jesus! The dead, on whose ear falls the sound of his voice, live. There is grace in Christ—quickening, regenerating, life-giving grace. And to whomever that grace is imparted, he who was lying cold and inanimate begins to move, to live, to breathe, and to arise. One touch of Christ, a whisper of his voice, a breath of his Spirit, begets a life in the soul that never dies.

What a Fountain of Life is Jesus! Think of its superabundance. There is a fullness of life in Christ. The grace that flows from Jesus is just as infinite in its source as it is divine in its nature. An uncreated fullness, it must possess an inexhaustible overabundance. Had the Father deposited this life-giving grace in all the angels in heaven, it would long ago have been exhausted.

Think of the myriads, thirsting for holiness and for happiness, who have knelt and quenched their thirst at this fountain. Think of the myriads who have filled their empty vessels here and have gone away with joy and hope springing high in their minds. Think of the myriads whose sins his blood has washed, whose souls his righteousness has clothed, whose corruptions his grace has subdued, and whose sorrows his love has comforted. Think of the iniquities which he has pardoned; of the backslidings which he has healed; of the grief which he has removed; of the tears which he has dried; of the souls which he has saved. Think of the myriads once drinking from the stream below, but who are now drinking from the fountainhead in glory. And yet this fountain is still as full as ever! It has not sunk a one hair's breadth. Jesus is still just as full of pardoning grace for the guilty, and of justifying grace for the vile, and of sanctifying grace for the unworthy, as ever. He is full enough to meet the needs of each and every poor, thirsty, panting soul who ventures near.

Oh, what a precious truth is this! Precious, indeed, to him who feels his own insufficiency, poverty, and need. O reader, what is your need? What is your sorrow? What is your trial? What is your infirmity? What is your burden? Whatever it may be, go with it to this Fountain of Living Water, and do not despair of a gracious welcome and of an adequate supply. It is a fountain. It is a living fountain. It needs no persuasion to flow, for it flows spontaneously. And wherever it flows there is life.

Jesus, Lover of my soul,
let me to thy bosom fly,
while the nearer waters roll,
while the tempest still is high:
hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
till the storm of life is past;
safe into the haven guide,
O receive my soul at last!

Other refuge have I none,
hangs my helpless soul on thee;
leave, ah! leave me not alone,
still support and comfort me!
All my trust on thee is stayed,
all my help from thee I bring;
cover my defenseless head
with the shadow of thy wing.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
more than all in thee I find:
raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy Name;
I am all unrighteousness;
false and full of sin I am,
thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with thee is found,
grace to cover all my sin;
let the healing streams abound;
make and keep me pure within:
thou of Life the Fountain art,
freely let me take of thee;
spring thou up within my heart,
rise to all eternity.

(Charles Wesley, 1740)

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.