Daily Devotional
May 21
Thine Is My Heart: Devotional Readings from the Writings of John Calvin
by John Calvin (compiled by John H. Kromminga)Republished from the OPC Website
Bible Text:
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. —Psalm 130:8
Devotional:
Let us learn from this passage in what way we are to expect deliverance from all calamities, or the order which it becomes us to observe seeking it. Remission of sins always goes first, without which nothing will come to a favorable issue.
Those who only desire to shake off the punishment are like silly invalids, who are careless about the disease itself with which they are afflicted, provided the symptoms which occasion them trouble for a time are removed. In order, then, that God may deliver us from our miseries, we must chiefly endeavor to be brought to a state of favor with him by obtaining the rernission of our sins. If this is not obtained, it will avail us little to have the temporal punishment remitted; for that often happens even to the reprobates themselves.
This is true and substantial deliverance, when God, by blotting out our sins, shows himself merciful towards us. Whence also we gather that having once obtained forgiveness, we have no reason to be afraid of our being excluded from free access to, and from enjoying the ready exercise of, the loving-kindness and mercy of God; for to redeem from iniquity is equivalent to moderating punishments or chastisements. —Commentaries
John Calvin was the premier theologian of the Reformation, but also a pious and godly Christian pastor who endeavored throughout his life to point men and women to Christ. We are grateful to Reformation Heritage Books for permission to use John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart as our daily devotional for 2013 on the OPC Web site. You can currently obtain a printed copy of that book from Reformation Heritage Books.
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