May 27, Evening

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" — 2 Samuel 9:8 · KJV

If Mephibosheth was humbled like this by David's kindness, what should we be in the presence of our gracious Lord? The more grace we have, the less we will think of ourselves, for grace, like light, reveals our impurity. Outstanding saints have hardly known what to compare themselves to, their sense of unworthiness has been so clear and keen. One godly old writer called himself a dry and withered branch, dead bones, unable to step over a straw, and said that apart from open outbreaks of wickedness he lacked nothing that the worst traitors had. To a humbled mind the lowliest creatures in nature seem preferable to itself, because they have never contracted sin: a dog may be greedy, fierce, or filthy, but it has no conscience to violate and no Holy Spirit to resist. A dog may be a worthless animal, and yet a little kindness soon wins it to love its master, and it stays faithful to death; but we forget the goodness of the Lord and do not come when He calls. The term "dead dog" is the most expressive of all terms of contempt, yet it is not too strong to express the self-loathing of well-taught believers. They are not putting on false modesty; they mean what they say. They have weighed themselves in the balances of the sanctuary and discovered how empty their nature is. At best we are only clay, animated dust, walking mounds of earth; but seen as sinners, we are truly monstrous. Let it be announced in heaven as a wonder that the Lord Jesus should set the love of His heart on people like us. Dust and ashes though we are, we must and will magnify the exceeding greatness of His grace. Could His heart not have found rest in heaven? Did He really need to come to our poor tents for a bride, and choose one weathered and sunburned by hardship? O heavens and earth, break out in song, and give all the glory to our dear Lord Jesus.