Spurgeon: July AM
* 07/20/AM
"The earnest of our inheritance."
--Ephesians 1:14
Oh! what enlightenment, what joys, what consolation, what
delight of heart is experienced by that man who has learned to
feed on Jesus, and on Jesus alone. Yet the realization which we
have of Christ's preciousness is, in this life, imperfect at the
best. As an old writer says, "'Tis but a taste!" We have tasted
"that the Lord is gracious," but we do not yet know how good
and gracious He is, although what we know of His sweetness makes
us long for more. We have enjoyed the firstfruits of the Spirit,
and they have set us hungering and thirsting for the fulness of
the heavenly vintage. We groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption. Here we are like Israel in the wilderness, who had
but one cluster from Eshcol, there we shall be in the
vineyard. Here we see the manna falling small, like coriander
seed, but there shall we eat the bread of heaven and the old
corn of the kingdom. We are but beginners now in spiritual
education; for although we have learned the first letters of the
alphabet, we cannot read words yet, much less can we put
sentences together; but as one says, "He that has been in heaven
but five minutes, knows more than the general assembly of
divines on earth." We have many ungratified desires at present,
but soon every wish shall be satisfied; and all our powers shall
find the sweetest employment in that eternal world of joy. O
Christian, antedate heaven for a few years. Within a very little
time thou shalt be rid of all thy trials and thy troubles.
Thine eyes now suffused with tears shall weep no longer. Thou
shalt gaze in ineffable rapture upon the splendour of Him who
sits upon the throne. Nay, more, upon His throne shalt thou sit.
The triumph of His glory shall be shared by thee; His crown, His
joy, His paradise, these shall be thine, and thou shalt be
co-heir with Him who is the heir of all things.