Golden Wages

"Let us recollect that the saving of souls from death honours Jesus, for there is no saving souls except through his blood. As for you and for me, what can we do in saving a soul from death? Of ourselves nothing, any more than that pen which lies upon the table could write Pilgrim's Progress; yet let a Bunyan grasp the pen, and the matchless work is written. So you and I can do nothing to convert souls till God's eternal Spirit takes us in hand but then he can do wonders by us, and get to himself glory by us, while it shall be joy enough to us to known that Jesus is honoured, and the Spirit magnified. Nobody talks to Homer's pen, no one has encased it in gold, or published its illustrious achievements; nor do we wish for honour among men: it will be enough for us to have been the pen in the Saviour's hand with which he has written the covenant of grace upon the fleshy tablets of human hearts. This is golden wages for a man who really loves his Master; Jesus is glorified, sinners are saved" (Counsel for Christian Workers" (Charles Spurgeon, Counsel for Christian Workers, p. 106).

Lord God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, please allow me to be a pen in your hand, to write Your glorious gospel on the hearts of men and women around the world. I do not seek to be encased in gold, to have others, either now or days long in the future, publish my achievements. Help me to embrace obscurity to such an extent that I would cease to seek the honor of men. Let it suffice, in both my heart and mind, to be used as Your instrument of gospel communication.

Father, forgive me for the times I have sought to be a partaker in Your glory, knowing I've had not a hand, not even a finger in the salvation of anyone. Salvation belongs to You, O God. I can do nothing, in and of myself, to convert a single soul. But to be used by You, to be allowed to watch as You let the ink of Your Son's precious blood flow from the well of the cross, to the tip of the quill that is my preaching of His cross, and to then write both the wrath and the glories of His cross onto the heart of another human being, by way of the pen of preaching--O Lord that is more than enough for me!

Holy Spirit, sanctify me in the Truth, Thy Word, which is Truth; so change my heart and mind that my joy will always and forever by found in knowing that my Lord and Savior is honored and that You, Spirit of God, are magnified. May the golden wages I seek be the salvation of the souls of others and to hear you one-day say, "Well done." In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.