OUR FATHER, we dare call Thee by that blessed name, for we feel the spirit of children. We have an earnest love to Thee, and an implicit trust in Thee; and we desire in all things to be obedient to Thy will, and to seek Thine honor. All our dependence is placed on Thee since the day when Thou didst teach us to believe in Jesus Christ and now, Thou art all in all to us, Thou art our fullness, and we lose ourselves and find ourselves completely in Them.
Thou knowest Lord, for Thou searchest the heart and Thou triest the reins of the children of men — Thou knowest we can truly say, unless indeed we be under a very deep delusion, that we do wish to promote Thy glory among the sons of men; and that we count nothing to be riches, but that which makes us rich towards God; nothing to be health, but that which is sanity before the most High — holiness in Thy sight; and we reckon nothing to be pure, but what Thou hast cleansed; and nothing to be good, but that upon which Thy blessing rests.
Yet Lord, though it be so, though our mind has been by Thy Spirit set towards holiness, there is a death within us; the old nature which strives against our life, and the members of the body often join with the corrupt nature within, to lead us astray. We swing towards holiness and then we seem like the pendulum, to swing the other way. We are wretched, because of this, and we cry out to Thee to deliver us. Oh that Thou wouldst deliver us!
We do thank Thee that Jesus gives us the victory; but we long to have that victory in ourselves more constantly realized — more perfectly enjoyed.
We would lie in the very dust before Thee because of sin; and yet, at the same time, rejoice in the great Sin-bearer, that the sin is not imputed to us, that it is put away by His precious blood, that we are accepted in the Beloved. But even this does not content us; we are crying after the work of the Holy Ghost within, till Satan shall be bruised under our feet, and sin shall be utterly destroyed.
Lord, Thou knowest the groanings of our heart; our prayers cannot express them but we bless Thee that there is One who maketh intercession for us, with groanings that cannot be uttered, who is with us, and dwelleth in us, and is promised to be with us for ever. We shall overcome, we shall win the victory, we shall rise superior to depression of spirit, we shall overcome the doubts, and fears, and tribulations of our inward heart, we shall overcome, for Christ doth lead the way and victory lies in His cross; and we are sure of it, and therefore would we begin to sing the hymn of victory even now, saying — “thanks be unto God who causeth us always to triumph in every place, by Jesus Christ His Son.”
This is our soul’s grandest object, that Jesus’ name be lifted high, and His throne be set up among the people, to the praise of the glory of His grace.
And now unto the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, be glory, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
– Charles Spurgeon, 1880