Morning, July 20
Go To Evening Reading
“The earnest of our inheritance.”
Ephesians 1:14
Oh! what enlightenment, what joys, what consolation, what delight
of heart is experienced by that man who has learned to feed on Jesus,
and on Jesus alone. Yet the realization which we have of Christ’s preciousness is, in this life, imperfect at the best. As an old
writer says, “'Tis but a taste!” We have tasted “that the Lord is gracious,” but we do not yet know how good and gracious he is, although what we know of his sweetness makes
us long for more. We have enjoyed the firstfruits of the Spirit, and
they have set us hungering and thirsting for the fulness of the heavenly
vintage. We groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption. Here we are like Israel in the wilderness, who had but one cluster from
Eshcol, there we shall be in the vineyard. Here we see the manna falling small,
like coriander seed, but there shall we eat the bread of heaven and
the old corn of the kingdom. We are but beginners now in spiritual
education; for although we have learned the first letters of the alphabet,
we cannot read words yet, much less can we put sentences together;
but as one says, “He that has been in heaven but five minutes, knows more than the general
assembly of divines on earth.” We have many ungratified desires at present, but soon every wish
shall be satisfied; and all our powers shall find the sweetest employment
in that eternal world of joy. O Christian, antedate heaven for a few
years. Within a very little time thou shalt be rid of all thy trials
and thy troubles. Thine eyes now suffused with tears shall weep no
longer. Thou shalt gaze in ineffable rapture upon the splendour of
him who sits upon the throne. Nay, more, upon his throne shalt thou
sit. The triumph of his glory shall be shared by thee; his crown,
his joy, his paradise, these shall be thine, and thou shalt be co-heir
with him who is the heir of all things.