When Charles Simeon was old and could look on much success, he wrote to a friend on the fiftieth anniversary of his work:
“But I love the valley of humiliation. I there feel that I am in my proper place.”
Charles Simeon
In the last month of his life he wrote:
“In truth, I love to see the creature annihilated in the apprehension, and swallowed up in God; I am then safe, happy, triumphant.”
Charles Simeon
Why is this evangelical humiliation a place of happiness to Simeon?
“By constant meditating the goodness of God and on our great deliverance from that punishment which our sins have deserved, we are brought to feel our vileness and utter unworthiness; and while we continue in this spirit of self-degradation, everything else will go on easily.
We shall find ourselves advancing in our course; we all feel the presence of God: we shall experience His love; we shall live in the enjoyment of His favour and in the hope of His glory…
You often feel that your prayers scarcely reach the ceiling; but, oh, get into this humble spirit by considering how good the Lord is, and how evil you are, and then prayer will mount on wings of faith to heaven.
The sigh, the groan of a broken heart, will soon go through the ceiling up to heaven, aye, into the very bosom of God.”
Charles Simeon
The secret of Charles Simeon’s perseverance was that he never threw overboard the heavy ballast of his own humiliation for sin and that this helped keep his mast erect and his sails full of the spirit of adoration.
“I love simplicity; I love contrition… I love the religion of heaven; to fall on our faces while we adore the Lamb is the kind of religion which my soul affects.”
Charles Simeon
As Simeon lay dying on October of 1836, a friend sat by his bed and asked what he was thinking of just then.
“I don’t think now; I am enjoying.” Charles Simeon’s answer on his deathbed.
He grew downward in the pain of contrition and he grew upward in the joy of adoration.
The weaving together of these two experiences into one is the achievement of the cross of Christ and the deepest secret of Charles Simeon’s great perseverance.
This post is part of Thursday Devotionals series. Right now it is going through the life, work and faith of Charles Simeon.
Would you like to read the first part, Are You Ready To Suffer For Christ?
You might also enjoy the second part of the series, Growing Downward.
I also recommend the thrird part for the children of this generation called, All Consuming Interest.
The fourth part is called, Peace Flowed In Rich Abundance.
If you have not yet read the fifth part This Sweet Hope.
Take some time to read the sixth part also, Blessed Are The Peacemakers.
Hope you will enjoy reading the seventh part, A Double Blessing To Your Ministry.
Are you willing for, A Little Suffering For Christ's Sake.
The part before this was about Growing Upward In Adoration Of Christ
I also recommend the thrird part for the children of this generation called, All Consuming Interest.
The fourth part is called, Peace Flowed In Rich Abundance.
If you have not yet read the fifth part This Sweet Hope.
Take some time to read the sixth part also, Blessed Are The Peacemakers.
Hope you will enjoy reading the seventh part, A Double Blessing To Your Ministry.
Are you willing for, A Little Suffering For Christ's Sake.
The part before this was about Growing Upward In Adoration Of Christ
How to attain, a Broken And Contrite Spirit?
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