Saint, do you believe your salvation has anything to do with your worthiness? Or that the condemnation of others is more deserved than the condemnation you yourself have earned? Are you any more worthy than any other?
Let us be like the tax collector of whom Jesus spoke who, unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Lk. 18:13).
By the grace of God, and the blood of Christ, we have direct access now to God's throne room. We may come before Him and present directly to Him our needs, our concerns, our desires. But let us never forget that it is by His grace, by His mercy, that we have been granted this access. It is not because of who we are or what we've done, but because of His great mercy (Rom. 9:16; Eph. 2:8,9; Tit. 3:5).
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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions
Morning, August 29
"Have mercy upon me, O God." Psalm 51:1
When Dr. Carey was suffering from a dangerous illness, the enquiry was made, "If this sickness should prove fatal, what passage would you select as the text for your funeral sermon?" He replied, "Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let it be from the words, 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.'" In the same spirit of humility he directed in his will that the following inscription and nothing more should be cut on his gravestone:
WILLIAM CAREY, BORN AUGUST 17th, 1761: DIED-
"A wretched, poor, and helpless worm On Thy kind arms I fall."
Only on the footing of free grace can the most experienced and most honoured of the saints approach their God. The best of men are conscious above all others that they are men at the best. Empty boats float high, but heavily laden vessels are low in the water; mere professors can boast, but true children of God cry for mercy upon their unprofitableness. We have need that the Lord should have mercy upon our good works, our prayers, our preachings, our alms-givings, and our holiest things. The blood was not only sprinkled upon the doorposts of Israel's dwelling houses, but upon the sanctuary, the mercy-seat, and the altar, because as sin intrudes into our holiest things, the blood of Jesus is needed to purify them from defilement. If mercy be needed to be exercised towards our duties, what shall be said of our sins? How sweet the remembrance that inexhaustible mercy is waiting to be gracious to us, to restore our backslidings, and make our broken bones rejoice!
Saint, do you believe your salvation has anything to do with your worthiness? Or that the condemnation of others is more deserved than the condemnation you yourself have earned? Are you any more worthy than any other?
Let us be like the tax collector of whom Jesus spoke who, unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Lk. 18:13).
By the grace of God, and the blood of Christ, we have direct access now to God's throne room. We may come before Him and present directly to Him our needs, our concerns, our desires. But let us never forget that it is by His grace, by His mercy, that we have been granted this access. It is not because of who we are or what we've done, but because of His great mercy (Rom. 9:16; Eph. 2:8,9; Tit. 3:5).
-------------
Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions
Morning, August 29
"Have mercy upon me, O God." Psalm 51:1
When Dr. Carey was suffering from a dangerous illness, the enquiry was made, "If this sickness should prove fatal, what passage would you select as the text for your funeral sermon?" He replied, "Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let it be from the words, 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.'" In the same spirit of humility he directed in his will that the following inscription and nothing more should be cut on his gravestone:
WILLIAM CAREY, BORN AUGUST 17th, 1761: DIED-
"A wretched, poor, and helpless worm On Thy kind arms I fall."
Only on the footing of free grace can the most experienced and most honoured of the saints approach their God. The best of men are conscious above all others that they are men at the best. Empty boats float high, but heavily laden vessels are low in the water; mere professors can boast, but true children of God cry for mercy upon their unprofitableness. We have need that the Lord should have mercy upon our good works, our prayers, our preachings, our alms-givings, and our holiest things. The blood was not only sprinkled upon the doorposts of Israel's dwelling houses, but upon the sanctuary, the mercy-seat, and the altar, because as sin intrudes into our holiest things, the blood of Jesus is needed to purify them from defilement. If mercy be needed to be exercised towards our duties, what shall be said of our sins? How sweet the remembrance that inexhaustible mercy is waiting to be gracious to us, to restore our backslidings, and make our broken bones rejoice!
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