Wednesday, April 11, 2012

We would see Jesus. - John 12:21

I wanted to share what I read last night from Charles Spurgeon's "Evening by Evening". I was given this book from my Mother a long time ago for helping teach her Sunday School class. It's been an encouragement to me ever since.

'The constant cry of the world is, "Who will show us any good?" People seek satisfaction in earthly comforts, enjoyments, and riches. But the convicted sinner knows only one good: "Oh that I knew where I might find him!" (Job 23:3). When a person is truly awakened to feel his guilt, if you could pour the gold of India at his feet, he would say,"Take it away. I want to find Him!" It is a blessed thing for a man when he has brought his desires into focus so that they all center on one object. When he has fifty different desires, his heart resembles a pool of stagnant water, spread out into a marsh, breeding disease and pestilence. But when all his desires are brought into one channel, his heart becomes like a river of pure water, flowing swiftly to fertilize the fields. Happy is he who has one desire, if that one desire is set on Christ even though it may not yet have been realized. If Jesus is the soul's desire, it is a blessed sign of divine work within. Such a man will never be content with mere laws. He will say, "I want Christ; I must have Him. Rules are of no use to me; I need Him! Do not offer me these. You offer me the empty pitcher, while I am dying of thirst. Give me water, or I will die. Jesus is my soul's desire. I would see Jesus!" Is this your condition, my reader, at this moment? Do you have but one desire, and it is Christ? Then you are not far from the kingdom of heaven. Have you but one wish in your heart, and that one wish is that you would be washed from all your sins in Jesus' blood? Can you really say, "I would give all I have to be a Christian. I would give up everything I have and hope for, if I could only feel that I have an interest in Christ"? Then, despite all your fears, be of good cheer. The Lord loves you, and you will come out into daylight soon. Rejoice "in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free" (Gal. 5:1).' (pg.116)