The Despair of Unworthiness and the Love of God (Sibbes)

Hosea 14:4 contains a wonderful promise of God: "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely..." (NIV). This two-fold promise can help the Christian who struggles with feelings of unworthiness before God. Richard Sibbes (d. 1635) explained this reality quite well. The quote is rich, but it's not too long. It really is worth…

Set Free by Love to Love (Bernard)

This is an excellent meditation on loving God: "Sermon 83 on the Song of Songs" by Bernard of Clairvaux. I appreciate how Bernard is Augustinian in this exposition of love based on the greatest love song, the Song of Songs: ...God then demands to be feared as Lord, honored as Father, and loved as Bridegroom.…

A “Delightful Reciprocity” in Marriage (Dorsey)

I've been studying and preaching through the Song of Songs. So far it's been a rewarding experience! One helpful resource for me has been David Dorsey's The Literary Structure of the Old Testament. I appreciate how Dorsey breaks down the Song into various parts with themes and key words. If you haven't seen this resource,…

When I Love My God… (Augustine)

Here's a great section of Augustine's Confessions that I hope will be a good devotional thought for our readers today. I love Thee, O Lord, not with doubtful but with assured awareness. Thou hast pierced my heart with Thy Word and I have loved Thee. The heaven and earth, also, and all things which are…

The Lovely Fruit of Good Teaching (Baugh)

In the opening words of Paul's first letter to Timothy, he reminds his young colleague of the aim or telos of the apostles' teaching: love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Tim. 1:5 NET). The false teachers in Ephesus neither taught nor practiced these things. But Paul…