Taking a risk that no one will stone me for departing from Streams to take a drink from the well that is found in the Psalms, drawn by the pen of C.H. Spureon...
Psalm 41:12a
As for me, You uphold me in my integrity...
Your power enables me to rise above the reach of slander by living in purity and righteousness. Our innocence and consistency are the result of divine upholding. We are like drinking glasses that do not have a base but can only be upright while they are held in the hand. We fall, spill, and spoil all, if left to ourselves. the Lord should be praised when we are preserved from gross sin. When others sin, they show us what we would do but for grace. "He today, and I tomorrow," was the exclamation of a holy man when he saw another falling into sin. Our integrity is comparative as well as dependent; we must therefore be humbled while we are grateful. If we are clear of all alleged faults, we still have enough actual blame to make it shameful to boast (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David).
I must thank God for His divine upholding! And I must also thank Him for when He allows me to sin even while He is upholding me. "The most wise, righteous, and gracious God does oftentimes leave, for a season, His own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and, to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon Himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends" (Westminster Confession of Faith V.5).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
That is very good! I am glad you wondered away from Streams to Spurgeon (for the moment). We all need to be reminded of this.
We are praying for you.
It is very beautiful indeed to read this passage...recently, I finished reading Job and surely he became keenly aware of sins such as indignation and self-righteousness. I often times think, 'there but for the grace of God go I' but what amazes me more, is how often I do NOT think it. I spend more time indignant than I do humble...
A good reminder indeed.
Post a Comment