Blog Journeys of a Lifelong Learner

"We, then, that are strong," says the apostle, "ought to bear the infirmities of the weak." Mark, he does not say the enormities, but the infirmities; he does not say the wickedness, but the weakness. The Lord bears with the weakness of his children. Peter is weak, and sinful through weakness; but the Lord Jesus carries it tenderly and lovingly toward him still. Thomas is very weak: "I will not believe," says he, "except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side." Now this Christ bears with much patience and sweetness: "Then said he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing" (John 20:27). The Lord Jesus does, as it were, open his wounds afresh; he overlooks his weakness. "Well," says he, "seeing it is so, that thou wilt not believe, I will rather bleed afresh then that thou shouldst die in thy unbelief." Oh, how compassionate is our precious Lord!

Oh, weak and timid Christian, thou shouldst be greatly thankful for the little grace thou hast. Does free grace knock at thy door when it passes by the doors of thousands? Does it cast a pearl of price into thy bosom when others are lying in their blood forever? And wilt thou not be thankful? Remember, the least measure of grace is worth more than a thousand worlds, yea, worth more than heaven itself!

Much faith will yield unto us here our heaven, but any faith, if true, will yield us heaven hereafter.

From Smooth Stones (Spurgeon’s collected sayings of Thomas Brooks)