Morning By Morning #224

How I long for the months gone by.

Job 29:2

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Many Christians view their past with pleasure but are dissatisfied with the present. They look back on days gone by when their communion with the Lord was the sweetest and the best times they have ever known, but see the present as though it is clothed in a dark coat of gloom and dreariness. Once they lived close to Jesus but now feel they have wandered away from Him and find themselves saying, “How I long for the months gone by.” They complain they have lost assurance of their faith, they have no peace of mind, they no longer find enjoyment in the ways of grace, their conscience has lost its tenderness, or they lack their former zeal to glorify God.

The causes of this sad condition are many. It can arise due to neglecting prayer, for a neglected prayer closet is the beginning of all spiritual decline. It can be the result of idolatry when the affections of the heart have been focused more on things on earth than on the things of heaven and God Himself. A “jealous God” (Ex. 20:5) will not ever be content with a divided heart, for He must be loved first and above all else. He will withdraw the sunshine of His presence from a cold wandering heart. Or we may find the cause to be self-confidence and self-righteousness, for when pride is at work in the heart, self is exalted instead of humbling itself at the foot of the cross.

Dear Christian, if you are not as you once were in “the months gone by,” do not be satisfied with simply wishing for a return to your former happiness. Go at once to seek your Master and tell Him of your sad condition. Ask for His grace and strength to help you walk more closely with Him. “Humble [yourself] before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10), and will once again allow you to enjoy the light of His countenance. Do not sit down only to grieve and cry, for since the beloved Physician lives, there is hope—more than that—there is a certainty of recovery for even the worst cases.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

One of the greatest examples of backsliding is the story of King David’s sin with Bathsheba and his attempt to hide it. Yet this story is also one of the greatest examples of repentance and restoration. The following psalm, written by David when confronted with his sin by Nathan the prophet, is a wonderful pattern for us to follow when we are convicted of sin as well:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge…

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51:1 – 4, 7 – 12

Dear Lord, like David, grant me humility and repentance when I sin.