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Singular heartiness...
by Spurgeon
When we give our hearts with our alms, we give well,
but we must often plead to a failure in this respect.
Not so with our Master and our Lord. His favors are always
performed with the love of his heart. He does not send to us
the cold meat and the broken pieces from the table of his
luxury, but he dips our morsel in his own dish, and seasons
our provisions with the spices of his fragrant affections.
When he puts the golden tokens of his grace into our palms,
he accompanies the gift with such a warm pressure of our
hand, that the manner of his giving is as precious as the boon
itself.
He will come into our houses upon his errands of kindness,
and he will not act as some austere visitors do in the poor
man's cottage, but he sits by our side, not despising our
poverty, nor blaming our weakness.
Beloved, with what smiles does he speak!
What golden sentences drop from his gracious lips!
What embraces of affection does he bestow upon us!
It is impossible to doubt the sincerity of his charity,
for there is a bleeding heart stamped upon the face of all his
benefactions. He gives liberally and upbraids not.
Not one hint that we are burdensome to him; not one cold
look for his poor pensioners; but he rejoices in his mercy,
and presses us to his bosom while he is pouring out his life
for us.
There is a fragrance in his spikenard which nothing but his
heart could produce; there is a sweetness in his honeycomb
which could not be in it unless the very essence of his soul's
affection had been mingled with it.
Oh! the rare communion which such singular heartiness
effects!
May we continually taste and know the blessedness of it!
If so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
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