Isaiah 48:8

“Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that
time that thine ear was not opened.”
— Isaiah 48:8

It is painful to remember that, in a certain degree, this accusation may be laid at the door of believers, who too often are in a measure spiritually insensible. We may well bewail ourselves that we do not hear the voice of God as we ought, “Yea, thou heardest not.” There are gentle motions of the Holy Spirit in the soul which are unheeded by us:
there are whisperings of divine command and of heavenly love which are alike unobserved by our leaden intellects. Alas! we have been carelessly ignorant-”Yea, thou knewest not.” There are matters within which we ought to have seen, corruptions which have made headway unnoticed; sweet affections which are being blighted like flowers in the frost, untended by us; glimpses of the divine face which might be perceived if we did not wall up the windows of our soul. But we “have not known.” As we think of it we are humbled in the deepest self-abasement. How must we adore the grace of God as we learn from the context that all this folly and ignorance, on our part, was foreknown by God, and, notwithstanding that foreknowledge, he yet has been pleased to deal with us in a way of mercy! Admire the marvellous sovereign grace which could have chosen us in the sight of all this!

Wonder at the price that was paid for us when Christ knew what we should be! He who hung upon the cross foresaw us as unbelieving, backsliding, cold of heart, indifferent, careless, lax in prayer, and yet he said, “I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour … Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life!” O redemption, how wondrously resplendent dost thou shine when we think how black we are! O Holy Spirit, give us henceforth the hearing ear, the understanding heart!

On this day...

• Galatians 3 - 2011
• When we cannot, by searching, find the bottom, we must sit down at the brink and adore the depth. - 2011
• I think we shall find a great many of our prayers that we thought unanswered answered when we get to heaven. - 2011
• The Lord delights in hearing His children make their requests known unto Him - telling their troubles all out to Him. - 2011
• Our walk by faith, if it is true biblical faith, will get us in trouble - 2011
• A good Christian is not a grave to bury God’s mercies, but a temple to sing His praises - 2011
• Our wretched body complains so easily because our soul is altogether too lifeless - 2011
• Faithfulness and Holiness: The Witness of J.C. Ryle - 2011
• One may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power - 2011
• Always beware of thinking that this world is your home - you are not to be here long enough to strike root - 2011
• The Spirit of God is peculiarly precious to us, because he especially instructs us as to the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ - 2011
• It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this - 2011
• Think of the Love of Jesus Christ This Season - 2011
• George Whitefield – Think of the Love of Jesus Christ This Season - 2011
• Our Relationship With Christ Never Ends - 2011