Morning, July 20
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Ephesians 1:14
"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.