Sibbs on The Bruising

“We love to wander from ourselves and to be strangers at home, till God bruises us by one cross or other, and then we ‘begin to think’, and come home to ourselves with the prodigal (Luke 15:17). It is a very hard thing to bring a dull and an evasive heart to cry with feeling for mercy. Our hearts, like criminals, until they be beaten from all evasions, never cry for the mercy of the Judge.


Again, this bruising makes us set a high price upon Christ. Then the gospel becomes the gospel indeed; then the fig-leaves of morality will do us no good. And it makes us more thankful, and, from thankfulness, more fruitful in our lives; for what makes many so cold and barren, but that bruising for sin never endeared God’s grace to them?” (Richard Sibbs, The Bruised Reed)


Lord, if I know not which description above applies to me, then as I read through those words again, and perhaps even again, show me who I am. And Lord, if the words “unthankful” or “unfruitful” emerge in my mind and conscience, then most surely may I cry to You for mercy, and may I know Your graces such that my prideful and devilish self-will would exhaust itself in confessing Christ as my true and only satisfaction, and as my all in all! My Lord, if I do not understand and manifest the truth of the relationship between Your mercy, my gratitude and bearing fruit, then would You have mercy on me and lead me in the way where my life would overflow with kindness to others as a testimony of Your kindness and mercy to me. Amen.

Meditation

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah

I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. 

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" (Psalm 32)