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Morning and Evening

July 20, Morning

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"The earnest of our inheritance." — Ephesians 1:14 · KJV

Oh, what enlightenment, what joys, what consolation, what delight of heart is experienced by the man who has learned to feed on Jesus, and on Jesus alone! Yet the sense we have of Christ's preciousness is, in this life, imperfect at best. As an old writer says, "It is but a taste!" We have tasted "that the Lord is gracious," but we do not yet know how good and gracious He is, though 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 fullness 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 we shall eat the bread of heaven and the old grain 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 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, look forward to heaven for a few years. Within a very little time you shall be rid of all your trials and troubles. Your eyes, now suffused with tears, shall weep no longer. You shall gaze in unspeakable rapture on the splendor of Him who sits on the throne. Nay, more, upon His throne shall you sit. The triumph of His glory shall be shared by you; His crown, His joy, His paradise — these shall be yours, and you shall be co-heir with Him who is the heir of all things.