Editor’s Note: This excerpt was taken from the book, “A Cluster of Camphire: Words of Cheer & Comfort to Sick & Sorrowful Souls,” originally published in 1898. The language and grammar, which captures the eloquence of the time, has not been altered or edited for this online blog in order to retain the true meaning of Mrs. Spurgeon’s original words.
by Susannah Spurgeon
Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.”
An unchangeable God! Oh heart of mine, in constant and wavering, is not the fact that thou hast an immutable God one of the choicest comforts; is it not the blessed sanctuary where alone thy weary wings can fold themselves to perfect rest? When friends fail and forsake, when earthly joys vanish, when a sense of the instability of the world’s firmest things shakes thy whole being with a great dread, and thine own fickleness is the saddest part of it all; then, thy Lord’s immutability is a tower of refuge, into which thou canst enter, and cling fearlessly to His assurance, “I am the Lord, I change not.”
If the Spirit of God will open to us the door of our text, we shall at once have entrance into the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. At the very threshold, His name is as sweet – dropping myrrh; and on the doorposts and lintel, we see the dark and sacred stains which tell the wondrous story of salvation through His sacrifice, and life by His death. If we do but begin to speak of Jesus Christ, – of “His great love where with he loved us,” and his atoning death for us, we are quickly ushered into “the secret place of the Most High,” where we may “abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Blessed name! It is the master key to all of Heaven’s portals, the “open sesame“ of the gates of Paradise.
“Jesus Christ, the same…”
Think of the never-varying purpose of our Saviour’s existence, both human and Divine. As He was in eternity, covenanting with His Father to bear our sins, and to impute to us His righteousness; as He was on earth, loving, blessing, healing, pitying, saving; as He was in life, in death, and resurrection, and in ascension, “this same Jesus” is now, and ever will be! He has never changed. His tenderness has never varied. His compassions have never failed. May He enable us to realize the eternal repose and fixedness of His designs of love and mercy, that we may trust Him as unreservedly as such a God deserves to be trusted!
“Yesterday…”
The Lord of all Creation knows not the boundaries of time. The Scripture says, “A thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” Then, to Him it is but as yesterday since He gave his life to ransom our souls! How He must have loved us; was it not “even until death…?” His heart was filled with such tender pity for us, as poor loss sinners, that He endured the cross, He bore the awful weight of God’s wrath, that pardon and acceptance might be possible for us; and He loves us now with just that very same love which yesterday caused Him to die! Does not this thought move our hearts to peace and joy in believing? Can we not rest or burden souls on such a steadfast Savior?
“To day…”
He is on His throne today, reigning and ruling, with all power in Heaven, and earth, and hell; but He is still “this same Jesus.” He wears his priesthood still, and is pleading for His people, calling them to follow Him, cleansing them, opening their blind eyes, and delivering them from death. We sometimes think that, if we could but see the Lord Jesus, and fall at His feet, and touch the hem of His garment, and sob out all of our griefs in His lovely presense, we should then have the full assurance of faith, and never, never doubt Him again. Ah! but that would be sight, not faith; and this could not glorify Him as our perfect trust can do. “In whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
“And for ever…”
Dear reader, what has Jesus Christ been to you in the past years? Have you any fault to find with Him? Has He not loved, and pardoned, and blessed, and borne with you as only such a gracious Lord could do? What is He to you today? Does not your helpless soul still hang on Him? Have you any other plea than His most precious blood; any hope but in His merit? Has He ever cast you from Him, and refused the mercy you have asked?
“Ah, no!“ you say, “He is all my salvation, and all my desire; and though I have treated no other friend so ill, I have proved that, ‘As the Heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.’” Then, let the past assure you for the future. All He has been to you, all He now is, He will still be, not only tomorrow, but “for ever.”