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March 2 Daily Devotional

Thine Is My Heart: Devotional Readings from the Writings of John Calvin

John Calvin (compiled by John H. Kromminga)

Bible Text:

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; —II Timothy I:3

Devotional:

We see moreover that when God has put forward a man and has bestowed the grace of his Holy Ghost upon him, we may not say therefore that we may not always pray for him. For there will never be such perfection in this world but we shall have need to be better and better, and to have God's helping hand always, praying him that he would augment his gifts and cut off those corruptions that are in us.

Therefore when we have an excellent man among us, and such a one as seems to be half an angel, true it is that we have great occasion to give thanks to God that he has poured the gifts of his Holy Ghost upon him so abundantly; but yet we must pray to God for him, that he would go on to increase him, until he have brought him to perfection.

Now if we have need to pray for one whom God has so highly advanced, what must we do for the poor silly ones who are but beginning, who are yet weak, who have only some little taste of the truth? Ought we not to be so much the more careful for them? Yes, no doubt. And therefore let us make this our reckoning, that there was never mortal creature in this world, but had need to be commended to God, that that might be brought to completion which was begun in him.

Why so? Because men are always on their way while they live upon the earth. And this may teach us to humble ourselves, that no man esteem himself, that no man content himself with his estate, to say, "I have come as far as I should come." But let us always go on, and let us pray to God that he would bring us forward, knowing well that we have not yet gotten to the mark. —Sermons


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.

Dr. Joel Beeke, who is editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, has this to say:

"Calvin shows us the piety of a Reformed theologian who speaks from the heart. Having tasted the goodness and grace of God in Jesus Christ, he pursued piety by seeking to know and do God’s will every day. He communed with Christ, practicing repentance, self-denial, and cross-bearing. Moreover, his theology worked itself out in heart-felt, Christ-honoring piety. The selections of this devotional bear this out, and hopefully will be used by God to direct pious hearts in our own day."

These devotional readings from John Calvin were compiled by John H. Kromminga. Be sure to read his "Introduction" to John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart.

 

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