Encouragment from my couch

So, I overslept this morning and didn't have enough time to get myself and Isaiah ready for church on time. Disappointing, but I took the opportunity to read today's reading out of Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening." So good.

"He will take what is mine and declare it to you." -- John 16:15

"There are times when all the promises and doctrines of the Bible are of no help unless a gracious hand applies them to us. We are thirsty but are too faint to crawl to the waterbrook. When a soldier is wounded in battle, it is of little use for him to know that there are those in the hospital who can bind up his wounds and medicines to ease all the pains that he now suffers: What he needs is to be carried there and have the remedies applied. It is the same with our souls, and to meet this need there is one, even the Spirit of Truth, who takes the things of Jesus and applies them to us.

Do not think that Christ has placed His joys on Heavenly shelves so we may climb up and retrieve them for ourselves; rather He draws near and sheds his peace abroad in our hearts. Christian, if you are tonight struggling under deep distress, your Father does not give you promises and then leave you to draw them up from the Word like buckets from a well. The promises He has written in the Word He will write afresh on your heart....So Jesus not only gives you the sweet wine of His promise, but He holds the golden cup to your lips and pours the lifeblood into your mouth. The poor, sick, worn out pilgrim is not merely strengthened to walk, but he is lifted up on eagle's wings.

Glorious Gospel that provides everything for the helpless, that draws near to us when we cannot reach it ourselves -- it brings us grace before we seek grace! There is as much glory in the giving as in the gift. Happy people who have the Holy Spirit to bring Jesus to them!"