"Father, I have sinned."
Luke 15:18

It is quite certain that those whom Christ has washed in His precious blood need not make a confession of sin, as culprits or criminals, before God the Judge, for Christ has forever taken away all their sins in a legal sense, so that they no longer stand where they can be condemned, but are once for all accepted in the Beloved; but having become children, and offending as children, ought they not every day to go before their heavenly Father and confess their sin, and acknowledge their iniquity in that character?

Nature teaches that it is the duty of erring children to make a confession to their earthly father, and the grace of God in the heart teaches us that we, as Christians, owe the same duty to our heavenly Father. We daily offend, and ought not to rest without daily pardon. For, supposing that my trespasses against my Father are not at once taken to Him to be washed away by the cleansing power of the Lord Jesus, what will be the consequence?

If I have not sought forgiveness and been washed from these offences against my Father, I shall feel at a distance from Him; I shall doubt His love to me; I shall tremble at Him; I shall be afraid to pray to Him: I shall grow like the prodigal, who, although still a child, was yet far off from his father. But if, with a child's sorrow at offending so gracious and loving a Parent, I go to Him and tell Him all, and rest not till I realize that I am forgiven, then I shall feel a holy love to my Father, and shall go through my Christian career, not only as saved, but as one enjoying present peace in God through Jesus Christ my Lord.

There is a wide distinction between confessing sin as a culprit, and confessing sin as a child. The Father's bosom is the place for penitent confessions. We have been cleansed once for all, but our feet still need to be washed from the defilement of our daily walk as children of God.
                                            ~By Charles Haddon Spurgeon in Morning and Evening

“ACQUAINT NOW THYSELF WITH HIM.”
Text: Job 22:21

If we would rightly “acquaint ourselves now with God, and be at peace,” we must know Him as He has rightly revealed Himself, not only in the unity of His essence and substance, but also in plurality of His persons.

God said, “Let us make man in our own image”—let man not be content until he knows something of “us” from whom his being is derived. Endeavour to know the Father, bury your head in His bosom in deep repentance, and confess that you are not worry to be called His son; receive the kiss of His love; let the ring which is the token of His eternal faithfulness be on your finger; sit at His table and let your heart make merry of His grace.

Then press forward and seek to know much of the Son of God who is the brightness of His Father’s glory, and yet in unspeakable condescension of grace became man for our sakes; know Him in the singular complexity of His nature: eternal God, and yet suffering finite man; follow Him as He walks the waters with the tread of deity, and as He sits upon the well in weariness of humanity.

Be not satisfied unless you know much of Jesus Christ as your Friend, Brother, your Husband, your all. Forget not the Holy Spirit; endeavor to obtain a dear view of His character and nature, His attributes, and His works. Behold the Spirit of the Lord that moved upon chaos and brought order forth; who now visits the chaos of your soul, and creates the order of holiness. Behold Him as the Lord and giver of Spiritual life, the Illuminator, the Instructor, the Comforter and the Sanctifier.

Behold Him as, like holy unction, He descends upon the head of Jesus, and then afterwards descends upon you who are as the skirts of His garments. Such an intelligent, scriptural, and experimental belief in the Trinity of Unity is yours if you truly know God; and such knowledge brings peace indeed.   --Charles H. Spurgeon

“I drew them with the cords of a man, with bands of love…”

Hosea 11.4

Our heavenly Father often draws us with the cords of love; but ah! how backward we are to run towards Him! How slowly we respond to His gentle impulses! He draws us to exercise a more simple faith in Him; but we have not yet attained to Abraham’s confidence; we do not leave our worldly cares with God, but, like Martha, we cumber ourselves with much serving. Our meager faith brings leanness into our souls; we do not open our mouths wide though God has promised to fill them. Does not this evening draw us to trust Him? Can we not hear Him say, “Come, My child, and trust Me. The veil is rent; enter into My presence, and approach boldly to the throne of My grace. I am worthy of thy fullest confidence, cast thy cares on Me. Shake thyself from the dust of thy cares, and put on thy beautiful garments of joy.”

But, alas, though called with tones of love to the blessed exercise of this comforting grace, we will not come. At another time He draws us to closer communion with Himself. We have been sitting at the doorstep of God’s house, and He bids us to advance into the banqueting hall and sup with Him, but we decline the honor. There are secret rooms not yet opened to us; Jesus invites us to enter them, but we hold back. Shame on our cold hearts! We are but poor lovers of the sweet Lord Jesus, not fit to be His servants, much less to be His bride, and yet He hath exalted us bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, married to Him by a glorious marriage-covenant.

Herein is love! But it is love which takes no denial. If we obey not the gentle drawings of His love, He will send affliction to drive us into closer intimacy with Himself. Have us nearer He will. What foolish children are we to refuse those bands of love, and so bring upon our backs that scourge of small cords, which Jesus knows how to use!  -Charles H. Spurgeon

The broad wall afforded a pleasant place of resort for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, from which they could command prospects of the surrounding country.
This reminds us of the Lord’s exceeding broad commandments, in which we walk at liberty in communion with Jesus, overlooking the scenes of earth, and looking out towards the glories of heaven. Separated from the world, and denying ourselves all ungodliness and fleshly lusts, we are nevertheless not in prison, nor restricted within narrow bounds; nay, we walk at liberty, because we keep His precepts.

Come, reader, this evening walk with God in His statutes. As friend met friend up the city wall, so meet thou thy God in the way of holy prayer and meditation. The bulwarks of salvation thou hast a right to traverse, for thou art a freeman of royal burgh, and a citizen of the metropolis of the universe.

From Spurgeon’s Morning & Evening, PC Bible Study. 08/20 PM