Evening, May 23
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Isaiah 43:24
"Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money."
Isaiah 43:24
Worshippers at the temple were wont to bring presents of sweet perfumes
to be burned upon the altar of God: but Israel, in the time of her
backsliding, became ungenerous, and made but few votive offerings to
her Lord: this was an evidence of coldness of heart towards God and his
house. Reader, does this never occur with you? Might not the complaint
of the text be occasionally, if not frequently, brought against you?
Those who are poor in pocket, if rich in faith, will be accepted none
the less because their gifts are small; but, poor reader, do you give
in fair proportion to the Lord, or is the widow's mite kept back from
the sacred treasury? The rich believer should be thankful for the
talent entrusted to him, but should not forget his large
responsibility, for where much is given much will be required; but,
rich reader, are you mindful of your obligations, and rendering to the
Lord according to the benefit received? Jesus gave his blood for us,
what shall we give to him? We are his, and all that we have, for he has
purchased us unto himself--can we act as if we were our own? O for more
consecration! and to this end, O for more love! Blessed Jesus, how good
it is of thee to accept our sweet cane bought with money! nothing is
too costly as a tribute to thine unrivalled love, and yet thou dost
receive with favour the smallest sincere token of affection! Thou dost
receive our poor forget-me-nots and love-tokens as though they were
intrinsically precious, though indeed they are but as the bunch of wild
flowers which the child brings to its mother. Never may we grow
niggardly towards thee, and from this hour never may we hear thee
complain of us again for withholding the gifts of our love. We will
give thee the first fruits of our increase, and pay thee tithes of all,
and then we will confess "of thine own have we given thee."