59 thoughts on “Phone”

  1. Sin … exceeding sinful. – Rom 7:13

    Beware of light thoughts of sin. At the time of conversion, the conscience is so tender, that we are afraid of the slightest sin. Young converts have a holy timidity—a godly fear lest they should sin against God. But alas! very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world—and the sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow—too pliant, too easily yielding. It is sadly true, that even a Christian may grow by degrees so callous, that the sin which once startled him does not alarm him in the least.

    By degrees—men get familiar with sin. The ear in which the cannon has been booming—will not notice slight sounds. At first a little sin startles us; but soon we say, “Is it not a little one?” Then there comes another, larger, and then another—until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a minor thing. And then follows an unholy presumption: “We have not fallen into open sin. True, we tripped a little—but we stood upright in the main. We may have uttered one unholy word—but as for the most of our life, it has been consistent.” So we palliate sin; we throw a cloak over it; we call it by dainty names.

    Christian, beware how you think of sin. Take heed lest you fall little by little. Sin, a little thing? Is it not a poison? Who knows its deadliness? Sin, a little thing? Do not the little foxes—spoil the grapes? Does not the tiny coral insect—build a rock which wrecks a navy? Do not little strokes—fell lofty oaks? Will not continual droppings—wear away stones? Sin, a little thing? It girded the Redeemer’s head with thorns, and pierced His heart! It made Him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe. Could you weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity—you would fly from it as from a serpent, and abhor the least appearance of evil. Look upon all sin as that which crucified your Savior—and you will see it to be “exceeding sinful.”

    Thou shalt be called, Sought out. – Isa 62:12

    The surpassing grace of God is seen very clearly, in that we were not only sought—but sought out. Men seek for a thing which is lost upon the floor of the house—but in such a case there is only seeking, not seeking out. The loss is more perplexing and the search more persevering, when a thing is sought out. We were mingled with the mire—we were as when some precious jewel falls into the sewer, and men gather out and carefully inspect a mass of abominable filth, and continue to stir and rake, and search among the heap until the treasure is found. Or, to use another figure, we were lost in a labyrinth; we wandered hither and there, and when mercy came after us with the gospel, it did not find us at the first coming, it had to search for us and seek us out; for we as lost sheep, were so desperately lost, and had wandered into such a strange country, that it did not seem possible that even the Good Shepherd should track our devious roamings. Glory be to unconquerable grace, we were sought out! No gloom could hide us, no filthiness could conceal us, we were found and brought home! Glory be to infinite love, God the Holy Spirit restored us!

    The lives of some of God’s people, if they could be written—would fill us with holy astonishment. Strange and marvelous are the ways which God used in their case to find His own. Blessed be His name, He never relinquishes the search—until the chosen are sought out effectually. They are not a people sought today and cast away tomorrow. Almightiness and wisdom combined will make no failures, they shall be called, “Sought out!” That any should be sought out is matchless grace—but that we should be sought out—is grace beyond degree! We can find no reason for it—but God’s own sovereign love; and can only lift up our heart in wonder, and praise the Lord that this night we wear the name of “Sought out.”

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