Evening, December 16

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time
   that thine ear was not opened."

  Isaiah 48:8

   It is painful to remember that, in a certain degree, this accusation
   may be laid at the door of believers, who too often are in a measure
   spiritually insensible. We may well bewail ourselves that we do not
   hear the voice of God as we ought, "Yea, thou heardest not." There are
   gentle motions of the Holy Spirit in the soul which are unheeded by us:
   there are whisperings of divine command and of heavenly love which are
   alike unobserved by our leaden intellects. Alas! we have been
   carelessly ignorant--"Yea, thou knewest not." There are matters within
   which we ought to have seen, corruptions which have made headway
   unnoticed; sweet affections which are being blighted like flowers in
   the frost, untended by us; glimpses of the divine face which might be
   perceived if we did not wall up the windows of our soul. But we "have
   not known." As we think of it we are humbled in the deepest
   self-abasement. How must we adore the grace of God as we learn from the
   context that all this folly and ignorance, on our part, was foreknown
   by God, and, notwithstanding that foreknowledge, he yet has been
   pleased to deal with us in a way of mercy! Admire the marvellous
   sovereign grace which could have chosen us in the sight of all this!
   Wonder at the price that was paid for us when Christ knew what we
   should be! He who hung upon the cross foresaw us as unbelieving,
   backsliding, cold of heart, indifferent, careless, lax in prayer, and
   yet he said, "I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy
   Saviour ... Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been
   honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee,
   and people for thy life!" O redemption, how wondrously resplendent dost
   thou shine when we think how black we are! O Holy Spirit, give us
   henceforth the hearing ear, the understanding heart!