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- Oct 26, 2007
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"Thou shalt be called, Sought out." Isaiah 62:12
The surpassing grace of God is seen very clearly in that we were not only sought, but sought out. Men seek for a thing which is lost upon the floor of the house, but in such a case there is only seeking, not seeking out. The loss is more perplexing and the search more persevering when a thing is sought out. We were mingled with the mire: we were as when some precious piece of gold falls into the sewer, and men gather out and carefully inspect a mass of abominable filth, and continue to stir and rake, and search among the heap until the treasure is found. Or, to use another figure, we were lost in a labyrinth; we wandered hither and thither, and when mercy came after us with the gospel, it did not find us at the first coming, it had to search for us and seek us out; for we as lost sheep were so desperately lost, and had wandered into such a strange country, that it did not seem possible that even the Good Shepherd should track our devious roamings. Glory be to unconquerable grace, we were sought out! No gloom could hide us, no filthiness could conceal us, we were found and brought home. Glory be to infinite love, God the Holy Spirit restored us!
The lives of some of God's people, if they could be written would fill us with holy astonishment. Strange and marvellous are the ways which God used in their case to find His own. Blessed be His name, He never relinquishes the search until the chosen are sought out effectually. They are not a people sought to-day and cast away to-morrow. Almightiness and wisdom combined will make no failures, they shall be called, "Sought out!" That any should be sought out is matchless grace - but that we should be sought out - is grace beyond degree! We can find no reason for it but God's own sovereign love, and can only lift up our heart in wonder, and praise the Lord that this night we wear the name of "Sought out."
Charles Spurgeon
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I've extracted the below part from his sermon from which the above devotional was taken from. When you read it I hope you might understand why I did so. For it has always been a question I've asked myself even as frequently as this morning upon waking. Not that he answers the question, but verbalizes what I've often wondered. Why me?
Once I can arrange this particular sermon in a legible format, I'll post it in the sermons section, so that any so inclined may read it in its entirety.
God Bless.
C4E
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But this Grace appears even more conspicuous if you consider the persons sought out. That any should be sought out is matchless Grace—but that we should be sought—is Grace beyond degree! My Brother, my Sister, I do not know what may have been your particular condition, but this I do know—you will feel that there were 10 times more reason that you should have been left out than that you should have been included in the purpose of Grace! Often have I thought that I was the odd man. If in the muster roll of Eternal Life there must be one left out, I should myself have made the selection of my own person as the one most worthy to have been disregarded.
Why me, Lord? Why me?— “Why was I made to hear Your voice, And enter where there’s room; While thousands make a wretched choice, And rather starve than come?” Does not the same thought arise in your mind? Is not your soul stirred with a holy and grateful wonder that you should have been sought out? And when, my Brothers and Sisters, I think of some in this place—some who once were in the harlots’ company—but who were sought out; some of you who once were plunged in drunkenness, how shall I sufficiently praise the Lord for you? Many of you on the Sunday never listened to the preached Word, but sought your own pleasure, and followed your own business—but you were sought out!
Many a tongue that sung the hymn just now once cursed and blasphemed God! Glory be to the Divine Grace which sought you out! Yes, though such were some of us, “we are washed, we are sanctified, we are cleansed.” And is not this a marvel that such as we are should have been sought out?
If He had sought kings and princes, we might have found a reason, but to seek us poor, obscure working men, illiterate, without ability—this is Sovereign Grace indeed! That He should seek the good, the moral, the excellent, we would not marvel; but to seek us, the depraved, the wicked, the abandoned—how shall we glorify His name? Tell it in Hell and let devils howl, publish it in Heaven and let angels sing; chant it, you blood-washed ones before the Eternal Throne; He has chosen the base things of this world and the things that are not—to bring to nothing the things that are! This is a wonder of wonders, that we, even we, should bear the name of “Sought Out”!
Charles Spurgeon
