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The Artist!
Spurgeon, "The Singular Origin of a Christian Man"
He who has begun a good work in us
will perform it unto the day of Christ.
What an amount of patience,
what an amount of power,
what an amount of skill,
what an amount of love,
what an amount of grace,
has God spent upon us hitherto!
Think of the power that has cut lines
of beauty in such steel as we are!
Think of the patience that lent its arm,
and its eye, and its heart, and its infinite
mind, to the carrying on of the supreme
work of producing the image of Christ in
those who were born in sin!
Think of the skill which makes heirs
of God out of heirs of wrath!
See how he has continued to work upon
us, year after year, with final perseverance
of undiminished love!
How much more power will still be needed,
and how much more patience, and how
much more careful wisdom, before we
shall be perfect and complete!
He who has begun a good work in us
will perform it unto the day of Christ.
This is one of the greatest of marvels!
It behooves all of us who know that
God has been at work with us, to adore
him continually for what he has done.
I know you sigh because a part of the
picture still looks rough and incomplete.
Consider that the Artist has not ended
his labor upon that portion of us!
Sanctification in its practical issues is not
yet ended. But do not sigh so much over the
incomplete part as to fail in rejoicing over
that which is accomplished.
Rejoice that a hand has been laid upon the
canvas which is matchless even in its outlines,
and foundation colors; a hand, moreover, which
was never yet known to throw away a canvas
upon which it had once commenced a masterpiece!
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