My dear friend Russell Morton shared the following encouragement with me recently. He came across the quote from Charles Spurgeon when doing some research on the provenance of the term, “the old, old story”.

A Sermon  (No. 446) Delivered on Sunday Evening, March 30th, 1862, by C. H. SPURGEON, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington

“In due time Christ died for the ungodly.”—Romans 5:6.

Here is a doctor of divinity here to-night who listened to me some years ago. He has been back to his own dwelling-place in America, and he has come here again.

I could not help fancying, as I saw his face just now, that he would think I was doting on the old subject, and harping on the old strain; that I had not advanced a single inch upon any new domain of thought, but was preaching the same old gospel in the same old terms as ever. If he should think so he will be quite right.

I suppose I am something like Mr. Cecil when he was a boy. His father once told him to wait in a gateway till he came back, and the father, being very busy, went about the city; and amidst his numerous cares and engagements, he forgot the boy. Night came on, and at last when the father reached home, there was great enquiry as to where Richard was. The father said, “Dear me, I left him early in the morning standing under such-and-such a gateway, and I told him to stay there until I came for him; I should not wonder but what he is there now.” So they went, and there they found him. Such an example of childish simple faithfulness it is no disgrace to emulate.

I received some years ago orders from my Master to stand at the foot of the cross until he came. He has not come yet, but I mean to stand there till he does.

If I should disobey his orders and leave those simple truths which have been the means of the conversion of souls, I know not how I could expect his blessing.

Here, then, I stand at the foot of the cross and tell out the old, old story, stale though it sound to itching ears, and worn threadbare as critics may deem it.

It is of Christ I love to speak—of Christ who loved, and lived, and died, the substitute for sinners, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.