October 13

Morning

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. — 2 Cor 7:10 BSB

Genuine, spiritual mourning for sin is the work of the Holy Spirit. Repentance is too rare a flower to grow in the soil of human nature. Pearls may form naturally in oysters, but repentance never grows naturally in sinners unless divine grace plants it. If you have even the slightest bit of true hatred for sin, it’s because God has given it to you, for human nature’s thorns never produce figs. "What is born of the flesh is flesh."

True repentance always looks to the Savior. When we repent of sin, we must keep one eye on our sin and another on the cross. It’s even better if both our eyes are fixed on Christ and we see our transgressions only through the lens of His love.

True sorrow for sin is deeply practical. No one can claim to hate sin if they continue to live in it. Repentance shows us the horror of sin, not just as a concept but through experience—like a child who fears fire after being burned. We will be as fearful of sin as someone who has been robbed and assaulted would be of a thief on the highway. We will avoid sin in all forms, not just in major ways but also in small things, like avoiding small snakes just as much as large ones.

True mourning for sin will make us very careful about our words and actions, being watchful not to offend. At the close of each day, we will confess our failures, and each morning we will rise with prayers for God to preserve us from sinning against Him.

Sincere repentance is ongoing. Believers repent until their dying day. Repentance is not something that comes and goes. Every other sorrow fades with time, but this sorrow grows as we grow, and it’s a bittersweet gift that we are thankful for until we enter into eternal rest.

Evening

Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. — Song 8:6 BSB

Whose love can this be that is as powerful as death, the great conqueror? Surely it’s not referring to my weak, faltering love for Jesus! Though I do love Him and by His grace would even die for Him, my love is so fragile that it can barely stand up to a jest, much less to the threat of death. No, this must be speaking of the love of Jesus—the matchless lover of souls!

His love truly was stronger than death, for it triumphed over the cross. It endured a slow and torturous death but never gave up. His love despised the shame of the cross and bore the weight of our sins. It endured even when He was abandoned by the Father. Never has there been such love, and never has there been such a death. His love won the ultimate victory.

What about you, my heart? Do you not feel stirred by the thought of such love? Yes, my Lord, I long for my love to burn as brightly as a furnace! Come, Lord, and ignite the fire of my heart!

“For every drop of crimson blood
Thus shed to make me live,
O wherefore, wherefore have I not,
A thousand lives to give?”

Why should I despair of loving Jesus with a love as strong as death? He deserves it, and I desire it! The martyrs loved Him that way, and they were but human like me. Why not me, too? Though they were weak, grace made them strong. And that same grace is available to me. Jesus, lover of my soul, pour out Your love in my heart this evening.