While cataloguing books for the church library, I found one with daily devotionals written by Frances Ridley Havergal, better known to me as a hymn writer. I’ve decided to work on little biographical sketch of Miss Havergal, which I’ll be posting soon. Meanwhile, here’s the devotional for today from the little book Opened Treasures.
No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. (John 6:65)
Do not shrink from the words; do not dare to explain them away; the faithful and true Witness spoke them, the Holy Ghost has recorded them forever. There it stands; reiterated and strengthened instead of softened, because many even of His disciples murmured at it. So our coming to Jesus was not our of ourselves; it was the gift of God. How did this gift operate? Not by driving but by drawing. “No man can come to Me, except the father which hath sent Me draw him.” Here comes in the great “whosoever will.” For unless and until the Father draw us, no mortal born of Adam ever wanted to come to Jesus. There was nothing else for it, He had to draw us or we never should have thought of wishing to come, nay, we should have gone on distinctly willing not to come, remaining aliens and enemies. Oh, the terrible depth of depravity revealed by that keen sword-word, “Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life.” Settle it then that you never wanted to come till He drew you, and praise Him for thus beginning at the very beginning with you.