Morning, August 29
Go To Evening Reading
“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!