Evening, December 12, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

“They have dealt treacherously against the Lord.” — Hosea 5:7

Believer, here is a sorrow filled truth! You are the beloved of the Lord, redeemed by blood, called by grace, preserved in Christ Jesus, accepted in the Beloved, on your way to heaven, and yet, “You have dealt treacherously” with God, your best friend; treacherously with Jesus, to whom you belong; treacherously with the Holy Spirit, by whom you hast been quickened unto life eternal! How treacherous you have been in the matter of vows and promises. Do you remember the love of your heart, that happy time–the springtime of your spiritual life? Oh, how closely you did cling to your Master then, saying, “He shall never accuse me of indifference; my feet shall never grow slow in the way of his service; I will not allow my heart to wander after other loves; in him is every store of pleasantness indescribable. I give all up for my Lord Jesus’ sake!” Has it been so? Alas! If conscience speaks, it will say, “He who promised so fully has performed most poorly. Prayer has oftentimes been garbled –it has been short, but not sweet; brief, but not fervent. Communion with Christ has been forgotten. Instead of a heavenly mind, there have been selfish cares, worldly vanities and thoughts of evil. Instead of service, there has been disobedience; instead of fervency, lukewarmness; instead of patience, petulance; instead of faith, confidence in your own strength; and as a soldier of the cross there has been cowardice, disobedience, and desertion, to a very shameful degree.”

“You hast dealt treacherously.” Treachery to Jesus! What words shall be used in denouncing it? Words avail little: let our repentant thoughts greatly loath the sin which is so surely in us. Treacherous to your wounds, O Jesus! Forgive us, and let us not sin again! How shameful to be treacherous to him who never forgets us, but who this day stands with our names inscribed on his breastplate before the eternal throne.