Evening, May 27
Go To Morning Reading
“What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog
as I am?”
2 Samuel 9:8
If Mephibosheth was thus humbled by David’s kindness, what shall we be in the presence of our gracious Lord? The more grace we have,
the less we shall think of ourselves, for grace, like light, reveals
our impurity. Eminent saints have scarcely known to what to compare
themselves, their sense of unworthiness has been so clear and keen.
“I am,” says holy Rutherford, “a dry and withered branch, a piece of dead carcass, dry bones, and
not able to step over a straw.” In another place he writes, “Except as to open outbreakings, I want nothing of what Judas and Cain
had.” The meanest objects in nature appear to the humbled mind to have
a preference above itself, because they have never contracted sin:
a dog may be greedy, fierce, or filthy, but it has no conscience to
violate, no Holy Spirit to resist. A dog may be a worthless animal,
and yet by a little kindness it is soon won to love its master, and
is faithful unto death; but we forget the goodness of the Lord, and
follow not at his call. The term “dead dog” is the most expressive of all terms of contempt, but it is none too
strong to express the self- abhorrence of instructed believers. They
do not affect mock modesty, they mean what they say, they have weighed
themselves in the balances of the sanctuary, and found out the vanity
of their nature. At best, we are but clay, animated dust, mere walking
hillocks; but viewed as sinners, we are monsters indeed. Let it be
published in heaven as a wonder, that the Lord Jesus should set his
heart’s love upon such as we are. Dust and ashes though we be, we must and
will “magnify the exceeding greatness of his grace.” Could not his heart find rest in heaven? Must he needs come to these
tents of Kedar for a spouse, and choose a bride upon whom the sun
had looked? O heavens and earth, break forth into a song, and give
all glory to our sweet Lord Jesus.