“Repentance is in every view so desirable, so necessary, so suited to honor God, that I seek that above all. The tender heart, the broken and contrite spirit, are to me far above all the joys that I could ever hope for in this vale of tears. I long to be in my proper place, my hand on my mouth, and my mouth in the dust…. I feel this to be safe ground. Here I cannot err…. I am sure that whatever God may despise… He will not despise the broken and contrite heart.”
Charles Simeon, quoted in Brothers, We Must Not Mind a Little Suffering
I heard this in the lecture version of the above manuscript. I found it very soothing and refreshing to my soul. Oh how there are times I am sure that I am despicable because of my sin! And so I am. But it is in those moments of brokenness, with my hand on my mouth, that I feel closest to God. It’s a strange paradox, that when I know how far I am from Him because of how much of a wicked sinner I am who has traded His glory for images resembling me… those are the times where I feel that He draws near.
It is good to stay in the valley where we feel the weight of our sin and sense our own vileness. It is not remain indefinitely there, but it is good to pass through there.
Therefore remember…. remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:11-12)
It is out of my remembrance of my sin — be it from years ago or a minute ago — that the value of the cross is seen once more, and I long to cling to it. This is similar to what John Owen recommended the believer do in order to put to death the deeds and desires of the flesh.
Be much in thoughtfulness of the excellency of the majesty of God and thine infinite, inconceivable distance from him…. Think much of thine unacquaintedness with him.
In other news, I recently got Jars’ latest album, Redemption Songs. I’ve been blessed by it so far, especially the first song which contains the lyrics to this old hymn.
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