Spurgeon: December AM
* 12/20/AM
"Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love."
--Jeremiah 31:3
Sometimes the Lord Jesus tells His Church His love thoughts.
"He does not think it enough behind her back to tell it, but in
her very presence He says, 'Thou art all fair, my love.' It is
true, this is not His ordinary method; He is a wise lover, and
knows when to keep back the intimation of love and when to let
it out; but there are times when He will make no secret of it;
times when He will put it beyond all dispute in the souls of His
people" (R. Erskine's Sermons). The Holy Spirit is often
pleased, in a most gracious manner, to witness with our spirits
of the love of Jesus. He takes of the things of Christ and
reveals them unto us. No voice is heard from the clouds, and no
vision is seen in the night, but we have a testimony more sure
than either of these. If an angel should fly from heaven and
inform the saint personally of the Saviour's love to him, the
evidence would not be one whit more satisfactory than that which
is borne in the heart by the Holy Ghost. Ask those of the Lord's
people who have lived the nearest to the gates of heaven, and
they will tell you that they have had seasons when the love of
Christ towards them has been a fact so clear and sure, that they
could no more doubt it than they could question their own
existence. Yes, beloved believer, you and I have had times of
refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and then our faith has
mounted to the topmost heights of assurance. We have had
confidence to lean our heads upon the bosom of our Lord, and we
have no more questioned our Master's affection to us than John
did when in that blessed posture; nay, nor so much: for the dark
question, "Lord, is it I that shall betray thee?" has been put
far from us. He has kissed us with the kisses of His mouth, and
killed our doubts by the closeness of His embrace. His love has
been sweeter than wine to our souls.