This past Sunday, a brother in our church preached a sermon titled “Heart Check.”  He challenged us to examine whether we’d allowed lesser things to displace our love for Jesus (MP3 and handout).  It was a convicting and encouraging message at the same time.

That evening, as I was getting ready to “lay me down to sleep,” I opened to that evening’s entry in Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening.  And was convicted to the core of the smallness of my affections for Christ, and how foolish I have been in many areas of my life — willing to settle for lesser things, instead of pursuing after the only One who could bring my soul deep and abiding satisfaction and joy.

Here’s an excerpt (with updated English) that struck me particularly:

O true believer, called by grace and washed in the precious blood of Jesus, you have tasted of better drink than the muddy river of this world’s pleasure can give you; you have had fellowship with Christ; you have obtained the joy of seeing Jesus, and leaning your head upon His heart. Do the trifles, the songs, the honors, the merriment of this earth satisfy you after that? Have you eaten the bread of angels, and can you live on husks? [Samuel] Rutherford once said, “I have tasted of Christ’s own manna, and it has put my mouth out of taste for the brown bread of this world’s joys.” It seems to me it should be so with you.

I’d encourage you to spend a few moments on the reading yourself.