March 15, Morning

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." — 2 Timothy 2:1 · KJV

Christ has grace without measure in Himself, but He has not kept it for Himself. As a reservoir empties itself into the pipes, so Christ has poured out His grace for His people. "Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." He seems to have only in order to give to us. He stands like a fountain, always flowing, but flowing only to fill the empty pitchers and the thirsty lips that draw near to it. Like a tree, He bears sweet fruit, not to hang on the boughs, but to be gathered by those who need it. Grace — whether its work is to pardon, to cleanse, to preserve, to strengthen, to enlighten, to quicken, or to restore — is ever to be had from Him freely and without price; nor is there any form of the work of grace that He has not bestowed on His people. As the blood of the body, though flowing from the heart, belongs equally to every member, so the influences of grace are the inheritance of every saint united to the Lamb; and herein is a sweet communion between Christ and His Church, since both receive the same grace. Christ is the head on which the oil is first poured, but the same oil runs down to the very skirts of the garment, so that the meanest saint has an anointing of the same costly oil that fell on the head. This is true communion, when the sap of grace flows from the stem to the branch, and it is perceived that the stem itself is sustained by the very nourishment that feeds the branch. As we day by day receive grace from Jesus, and more constantly recognize it as coming from Him, we shall behold Him in communion with us, and enjoy the happiness of communion with Him. Let us make daily use of our riches, and ever go to Him as to our own Lord in covenant, taking from Him the supply of all we need with as much boldness as men take money from their own purse.