Tonic. It's a word that you don't hear much anymore. Kind of quaint, like something you'd see Doc Baker using on a Walnut Grove patient in Little House on the Prairie. Tonic is a "medicinal substance taken to give a feeling of vigor or well-being; something with an invigorating effect."
That's what one song did for my soul this morning. It's an old hymn that came to mind the very moment I woke up:
My faith has found a resting place--
Not in device nor creed;
I trust the Ever-Living One--
His wounds for me shall plead.
I need no other argument;
I need no other plea.
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves--
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul, I come to Him--
He'll never cast me out.
My heart is leaning on the Word--
The written Word of God;
Salvation by my Savior's name,
Salvation through His blood.
My great Physician heals the sick--
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed--
For me His life He gave.
I need no other argument;
I need no other plea.
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
It is enough. There's nothing I need to add to Jesus' atoning work. There's nothing I can add. Salvation is all of grace--God's grace. "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation" (Colossians 1:22). That's a truth I need to tell myself every day, lest I get discouraged over my frequent failings.
Minutes later I had made my way from the bedroom into the living room, where I sat with the Bible in my lap and a freshly-poured cup of coffee in my right hand. As the text before me came into focus, my eyes settled on Ephesians 3:7-8: "I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ."
This was Paul's testimony. This is my testimony. My service to the Lord, like my salvation from the Lord, is a gift of His grace. God didn't call me to preach because I'm great; He did it because He is great--and gracious. I re-read these verses several times. I intend to print them out and post them on the bulletin board by my desk.
Finally, I picked up our family's copy of Spurgeon's classic devotional work, Morning & Evening. I turned to this morning's entry, dated February 13. The text was 1 John 3:1-2: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God." In commenting on these verses, Spurgeon wrote (in part),
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God." That is easy to read, but it is not so easy to feel. How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled under foot? Does you faith almost fail you? Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you are to live: you must live simply by faith on Christ. With all these things against us, now--in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be-- now, as much as in the valley as on the mountain, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." "Ah, but," you say, "see how I am arrayed! My graces are not bright; my righteousness does not shine with apparent glory." But read the next: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him." The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall refine our bodies, then shall we see Him as He is.
God has got it all covered, hasn't He? His grace is sufficient, from start to finish. My faith indeed has found a resting place. Thank you, Lord, for mixing that song and Scripture, with a dose of Spurgeon, into a wonderful elixir this morning. It's just what my soul needed.