Surface Melting

“So?yie are frightened into a little religiotisness in their straits and deep necessities, but it is poor work a7id superficial work. They are like ice in thawing weather, soft at top and hard at bottojn.” They melt, but to no very great extent. It is upon the surface only that they yield to heavenly influences. This is a sorry state of things, for it generally ends in a harder frost than before, and the bonds of cold indifference bind the very soul. Let those in whom there are any meltings of holy feeling take heed, for their danger lies in being content with a partial subjection to gracious influences. Grace will be all or nothing: the ice must all melt, and the soul must flow like a river. Jesus did not come to create temporary and partial religious feeling, but to make new creatures of us. He will have nothing to do with those Ephraimites who are as half-done cakes, which are black on one side with too much baking, but have never been turned so as to feel the fire on the other side. The centre of the heart must feel the warmth of divine love, or nothing is done.

Lord, shine on my soul till I am wholly melted, and all my ice has vanished. Thou alone canst break up nature’s frost, but thou canst do it. Shine on me, most patient Lord.