Spurgeon: July AM
* 07/30/AM
"And when he thought thereon, he wept."
--Mark 14:72
It has been thought by some that as long as Peter lived, the
fountain of his tears began to flow whenever he remembered his
denying his Lord. It is not unlikely that it was so, (for his
sin was very great, and grace in him had afterwards a perfect
work. This same experience is common to all the redeemed family
according to the degree in which the Spirit of God has removed
the natural heart of stone. We, like Peter, remember our
boastful promise : "Though all men shall forsake Thee, yet will
not I." We eat our own words with the bitter herbs of
repentance. When we think of what we vowed we would be, and of
what we have been, we may weep whole showers of grief. He
thought on his denying his Lord . The place in which he did it,
the little cause which led him into such heinous sin, the oaths
and blasphemies with which he sought to confirm his falsehood,
and the dreadful hardness of heart which drove him to do so
again and yet again. Can we, when we are reminded of our sins,
and their exceeding sinfulness, remain stolid and stubborn? Will
we not make our house a Bochim, and cry unto the Lord for
renewed assurances of pardoning love? May we never take a
dry-eyed look at sin, lest ere long we have a tongue parched in
the flames of hell. Peter also thought upon his Master's look
of love . The Lord followed up the cock's warning voice with an
admonitory look of sorrow, pity, and love. That glance was
never out of Peter's mind so long as he lived. It was far more
effectual than ten thousand sermons would have been without the
Spirit. The penitent apostle would be sure to weep when he
recollected the Saviour's full forgiveness , which restored him
to his former place. To think that we have offended so kind and
good a Lord is more than sufficient reason for being constant
weepers. Lord, smite our rocky hearts, and make the waters flow.