Evening, August 18

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it
   not."

  Mark 15:23

   A golden truth is couched in the fact that the Saviour put the myrrhed
   wine-cup from his lips. On the heights of heaven the Son of God stood
   of old, and as he looked down upon our globe he measured the long
   descent to the utmost depths of human misery; he cast up the sum total
   of all the agonies which expiation would require, and abated not a jot.
   He solemnly determined that to offer a sufficient atoning sacrifice he
   must go the whole way, from the highest to the lowest, from the throne
   of highest glory to the cross of deepest woe. This myrrhed cup, with
   its soporific influence, would have stayed him within a little of the
   utmost limit of misery, therefore he refused it. He would not stop
   short of all he had undertaken to suffer for his people. Ah, how many
   of us have pined after reliefs to our grief which would have been
   injurious to us! Reader, did you never pray for a discharge from hard
   service or suffering with a petulant and wilful eagerness? Providence
   has taken from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke. Say,
   Christian, if it had been said, "If you so desire it, that loved one of
   yours shall live, but God will be dishonoured," could you have put away
   the temptation, and said, "Thy will be done"? Oh, it is sweet to be
   able to say, "My Lord, if for other reasons I need not suffer, yet if I
   can honour thee more by suffering, and if the loss of my earthly all
   will bring thee glory, then so let it be. I refuse the comfort, if it
   comes in the way of thine honour." O that we thus walked more in the
   footsteps of our Lord, cheerfully enduring trial for his sake, promptly
   and willingly putting away the thought of self and comfort when it
   would interfere with our finishing the work which he has given us to
   do. Great grace is needed, but great grace is provided.