December 16, Evening
C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling
"Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened." — Isaiah 48:8 · KJV
It is painful to remember that, in a certain degree, this accusation may be laid at the door of believers, who too often are in a measure spiritually insensible. We may well bewail ourselves that we do not hear the voice of God as we ought: "Yea, thou heardest not." There are gentle motions of the Holy Spirit in the soul which we do not heed; there are whisperings of divine command and of heavenly love which our leaden intellects alike overlook. Alas, we have been carelessly ignorant: "Yea, thou knewest not." There are matters within us we ought to have seen — corruptions that have gained ground unnoticed; sweet affections being blighted like flowers in the frost, untended by us; glimpses of the divine face that might be perceived, if we did not wall up the windows of our soul. But we "have not known." As we think of it, we are humbled in the deepest self-abasement. How we must adore the grace of God, as we learn from the context that all this folly and ignorance on our part was foreknown by God, and yet, in spite of that foreknowledge, He has been pleased to deal with us in a way of mercy! Admire the marvelous sovereign grace that could have chosen us in the sight of all this! Wonder at the price paid for us, when Christ knew what we would be! He who hung on the cross foresaw us as unbelieving, backsliding, cold of heart, indifferent, careless, and lax in prayer, and yet He said, "I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour... Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life." O redemption, how wondrously resplendent you shine, when we think how black we are! O Holy Spirit, give us henceforth the hearing ear, the understanding heart!