December 20, Morning

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love." — Jeremiah 31:3 · KJV

Sometimes the Lord Jesus tells His Church His love-thoughts. "He does not think it enough behind her back to tell it, but in her very presence He says, 'Thou art all fair, my love.' True, this is not His ordinary method; He is a wise lover, and knows when to keep back the intimation of love and when to let it out; but there are times when He will make no secret of it — times when He will put it beyond all dispute in the souls of His people." The Holy Spirit is often pleased, in a most gracious manner, to bear witness with our spirits of the love of Jesus. He takes of the things of Christ and reveals them to us. No voice is heard from the clouds, and no vision seen in the night, but we have a testimony more sure than either of these. If an angel should fly from heaven and inform the saint personally of the Savior's love to him, the evidence would not be one whit more satisfactory than that which is borne in the heart by the Holy Spirit. Ask those of the Lord's people who have lived nearest to the gates of heaven, and they will tell you they have had seasons when the love of Christ toward them was a fact so clear and sure that they could no more doubt it than they could question their own existence. Yes, beloved believer, you and I have had times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and then our faith has mounted to the topmost heights of assurance. We have had confidence to lean our heads on the bosom of our Lord, and we have no more questioned our Master's affection to us than John did when in that blessed posture — no, nor even so much, for the dark question, "Lord, is it I that shall betray Thee?" has been put far from us. He has kissed us with the kisses of His mouth, and killed our doubts by the closeness of His embrace. His love has been sweeter than wine to our souls.