Renewal

Prepare yourself for a lengthier-than-normal post. I make a habit of reading Spurgeon's devotional book - 'Morning by Morning' and 'Evening by Evening'. Luckily, I have a hard back book containing both. A bit like having a double Big Mac.

I found this morning's reading quite refreshing to my soul. I thought I would share it. As some of you know - I am a backslider. Quite the backslider. A line from Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing accurately describes my waywardness.

"Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love."

I find myself totally dependent of God's renewing power in my life. This devotion gave me a fresh desire and a fresh gratitude for God's grace and forgiveness...and even though Satan would like me to believe it - All is not lost! The naughty little wandering sheep that I am has been found and recovered. Even though I wander each time He brings me back - He never gives up. Hope this makes some sort of sense.

"Renew a right spirit within me." {#Ps 51:10}
A backslider, if there be a spark of life left in him will groan after restoration. In this renewal the same exercise of grace is required as at our conversion. We needed repentance then; we certainly need it now. We wanted faith that we might come to Christ at first; only the like grace can bring us to Jesus now. We wanted a word from the Most High, a word from the lip of the loving One, to end our fears then; we shall soon discover, when under a sense of present sin, that we need it now.
No man can be renewed without as real and true a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s energy as he felt at first, because the work is as great, and flesh and blood are as much in the way now as ever they were. Let thy personal weakness, O Christian, be an argument to make thee pray earnestly to thy God for help.
Remember, David when he felt himself to be powerless, did not fold his arms or close his lips, but he hastened to the mercy seat with "renew a right spirit within me." Let not the doctrine that you, unaided, can do nothing, make you sleep; but let it be a goad in your side to drive you with an awful earnestness to Israel’s strong Helper. O that you may have grace to plead with God, as though you pleaded for your very life— "Lord, renew a right spirit within me."
He who sincerely prays to God to do this, will prove his honesty by using the means through which God works. Be much in prayer; live much upon the Word of God; kill the lusts which have driven your Lord from you; be careful to watch over the future uprisings of sin. The Lord has his own appointed ways; sit by the wayside and you will be ready when he passes by. Continue in all those blessed ordinances which will foster and nourish your dying graces; and, knowing that all the power must proceed from him, cease not to cry, "Renew a right spirit within me."