Morning, December 7
“Base things of the world hath God chosen.”
1 Corinthians 1:28
Charles Spurgeon
Walk the streets by moonlight, if you dare, and you will see sinners then. Watch when the night is dark, and the wind is howling, and the picklock is grating in the door, and you will see sinners then. Go to yon jail, and walk through the wards, and mark the men with heavy over-hanging brows, men whom you would not like to meet at night, and there are sinners there. Go to the Reformatories, and note those who have betrayed a rampant juvenile depravity, and you will see sinners there. Go across the seas to the place where a man will gnaw a bone upon which is reeking human flesh, and there is a sinner there. Go where you will, you need not ransack earth to find sinners, for they are common enough; you may find them in every lane and street of every city, and town, and village, and hamlet. It is for such that Jesus died. If you will select me the grossest specimen of humanity, if he be but born of woman, I will have hope of him yet, because Jesus Christ is come to seek and to save sinners. Electing love has selected some of the worst to be made the best. Pebbles of the brook grace turns into jewels for the crown-royal. Worthless dross he transforms into pure gold. Redeeming love has set apart many of the worst of mankind to be the reward of the Saviour’s passion. Effectual grace calls forth many of the vilest of the vile to sit at the table of mercy, and therefore let none despair.
Reader, by that love looking out of Jesus’ tearful eyes, by that love streaming from those bleeding wounds, by that faithful love, that strong love, that pure, disinterested, and abiding love; by the heart and by the bowels of the Saviour’s compassion, we conjure you turn not away as though it were nothing to you; but believe on him and you shall be saved. Trust your soul with him and he will bring you to his Father’s right hand in glory everlasting.
Amazing Grace – Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions
December 7
JOIN ALL THE GLORIOUS NAMES
Isaac Watts, 1674–1748
Praise be to His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory. (Psalm 72:19)
“Wisdom,” “love,” “power,” “prophet,” “priest,” “king,” “almighty Lord,” “conqueror,” “captain”—these are the names and titles used throughout the stanzas of this hymn to describe our Lord. But the conclusion is this: The most glorious names that either men or angels could devise would still be “too poor to speak His worth.” Words are limited in their ability to convey the deep feelings of the soul. We can and should extol our Lord with great hymns of praise such as this, especially during this joyful season. But beyond our verbal expressions there must be a life deeply devoted to His person and the extension of His kingdom.
“Join All the Glorious Names” was first published in 1707 in Isaac Watts’ Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book 1. This hymn is generally regarded as one of Isaac Watts’ finest among his more than 600 hymns and psalm paraphrases. These numerous works have earned him the title of the “father of English hymnody.”
A growing love relationship with our Lord and an appreciation of His worth should result in a life of praise and worship. We should also be led to respond in loving obedience with a willingness to say with this hymn writer—“Behold I sit in willing bonds beneath Thy feet.”
Join all the glorious names of wisdom, love and pow’r, that ever mortals knew, that angels ever bore: All are too poor to speak His worth, too poor to set my Savior forth.
Great Prophet of my God, my tongue would bless Thy name; by Thee the joyful news of our salvation came: The joyful news of sins forgiv’n, of hell subdued, and peace with heav’n.
My Savior and my Lord, my Conq’ror and my King, Thy scepter and Thy sword, Thy reigning grace I sing: Thine is the pow’r—behold I sit in willing bonds beneath Thy feet.
Now let my soul arise and tread the tempter down; my Captain leads me forth to conquest and a crown: A feeble saint shall win the day, tho death and hell obstruct the way.
For Today: Exodus 20:7; Proverbs 18:10; Matthew 12:21; John 1:12; Acts 4:l2; 1 Timothy 6:15
Earnestly try to show your love and devotion to Christ in some special way during this Christmas season.
Evening, December 7
“I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
1 Corinthians 9:22
Charles Spurgeon
Paul’s great object was not merely to instruct and to improve, but to save. Anything short of this would have disappointed him; he would have men renewed in heart, forgiven, sanctified, in fact, saved. Have our Christian labours been aimed at anything below this great point? Then let us amend our ways, for of what avail will it be at the last great day to have taught and moralized men if they appear before God unsaved? Blood-red will our skirts be if through life we have sought inferior objects, and forgotten that men needed to be saved. Paul knew the ruin of man’s natural state, and did not try to educate him, but to save him; he saw men sinking to hell, and did not talk of refining them, but of saving from the wrath to come. To compass their salvation, he gave himself up with untiring zeal to telling abroad the gospel, to warning and beseeching men to be reconciled to God. His prayers were importunate and his labours incessant. To save souls was his consuming passion, his ambition, his calling. He became a servant to all men, toiling for his race, feeling a woe within him if he preached not the gospel. He laid aside his preferences to prevent prejudice; he submitted his will in things indifferent, and if men would but receive the gospel, he raised no questions about forms or ceremonies: the gospel was the one all-important business with him. If he might save some he would be content. This was the crown for which he strove, the sole and sufficient reward of all his labours and self-denials. Dear reader, have you and I lived to win souls at this noble rate? Are we possessed with the same all-absorbing desire? If not, why not? Jesus died for sinners, cannot we live for them? Where is our tenderness? Where our love to Christ, if we seek not his honour in the salvation of men? O that the Lord would saturate us through and through with an undying zeal for the souls of men.
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