I ABHOR MYSELF

 EVENING DEVOTION

OCTOBER 22

 

Job 42:6

Whereof I abhor myself, 

and repent in dust and ashes.

 
The more clearly the Lord manifests himself to us, and 

  the more he works in us by his Spirit, the deeper will 

    be our humility and self-abhorrence.
 
Self admirers are strangers to close and holy fellowship with God.
 
Nothing discovers to us the true state of human nature like nearness to God.
 
Men may speculate, and reason, and boast of what man can do,

  so long as they are at a distance from God;

  but no sooner do they come into his presence,

  that their comeliness is turned into corruption. 

They not only see that they are vile, but they feel it.
 
Job had boasted, and contended with God; 

  but as soon as God came near to him, his views 

  and feelings underwent an entire change. 

And he cried out, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee: whereof I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
 
We cannot think too meanly of ourselves as sinners, or 

  feel too deeply on account of the baseness of our nature;

    except we allow our feelings to lead us to doubt either 

     the ability or willingness of Jesus to save us, or 

       to question our interest in our Father’s love.
 
Never does Christ appear so precious as when we sink before God in self-abhorrence.
 

Appear, great God, appear to me,

That by myself abhor’d,

Asham’d I may for ever be

Before me gracious Lord.

 
James Smith