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Laying Self-Condemnation at Jesus’ Feet

Normally, I love to write these devotionals and share them with you. But I’m discouraged.

I’ve been judging myself about a talk I gave. My Critic jumped on me and hurled condemnations. No doubt some demons were piling on too.

My spirits sank. So here I am and I’ve got nothing for you. Zilch. I’m flat. I don’t feel connected to God. I don’t feel like reading the Bible. How can I help you?

Do you ever feel like a failure in your work? Do you ever feel like a failure as a Christian?

Then I sensed the Lord prompting me to pick up a little booklet from my shelf of favorites: The Deeper Life by Robert Murray McCheyne.

McCheyne was a 19th Century pastor from the Church of Scotland who loved the Lord and his Word. Sadly, he died at 29, but in just seven and a half years of ministry he left behind spiritual teachings that continue to feed thousands of people.

Let’s nourish our souls in God like Mary of Bethany.

McCheyne’s reflections on Luke 10:38-52 put us at the feet of Christ with Mary:

Mary was an eminent believer: “She sat at the feet of Jesus, and heard His word.” Jesus Himself said of her: “Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Now it is interesting to see this same Mary eminent in another way — not only as a contemplative believer, but as an active believer.

Many seem to think that to be a believer is to have certain feelings and experiences; forgetting all the time that these are but the flowers, and that the fruit must follow…

What this woman did, she did to Christ. Jesus had saved her soul, had saved her brother and sister, and she felt that she could not do too much for Him. She brought an alabaster box of ointment, very costly, and broke the box, and poured it on His head…

On His blessed head, that was so soon to be crowned with thorns — on His blessed feet, that were so soon to be pierced with nails — she poured the precious ointment.

This is what we should do… pour out our best affections on Christ…

It was not the ointment Jesus cared for — what does the King of Glory care for a little ointment? — but it is the loving heart, poured out upon His feet. It is the adoration, praise, love, and prayers of a believer’s broken heart, that Christ cares for. The new heart is the alabaster box that Jesus loves.

(The Deeper Life by Robert Murray McCheyne, published by World Wide Publications in 1994, pp. 25-27.)

You can purchase book from Amazon at their best price and have a portion of the sale will go back to Soul Shepherding: The Deeper Life.

Taking heart from McCheyne, I read Luke 10:38-52…

Placing myself at Jesus’ feet, I pour out my tired, discouraged soul…

I lay my self-condemnations at my Lord’s feet…

Then the Spirit of Jesus seems to say: “The talk you’re judging as bad — I judge as good. Your heart is to serve me. Stay here with with me, close beside me. I love you as I love Mary. Rest in my love. Let me, be enough for you.”

You don’t have to be good enough. Jesus is enough for you!

 

This week’s “Soul Talks” podcast:
“Enjoying Scripture Meditation.”

 

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