Find God at All Cost

A Christian who, through Christ, draws near to God is the wisest man. He has God's word, reason, and experience to support his choice. Paul suffered, and was not ashamed. Why? 'I know whom I have believed' (2 Tim 1:12). Let men scorn, I care not for man's censure. They will never scorn me out of my faith. The Scriptures, which are the best judge, call those men fools; for they refuse God, who is the highest good, and seek their contentment where none is to be found. In God is all fullness; in Christ are unsearchable riches; in God everlasting strength, 'and his favour is better than life itself' (Psa. 63:3).
From this we learn how to defend zeal in religion. If being near to God is good, then the nearer to him the better; if religion is good, then the more the better; if holiness is good, then the more the better; it is best to excel in the best things. It should shame us to be spiritually cold and to have little zeal, as if we are ashamed of goodness, as most are.
This also teaches us that a man must not break with God for any creature's sake or reason. It is good to lose all for God. Why? Because we have riches in him, liberty in him, all in him. If we lose anything for God, even if it be our own life, we will save it. The Spirit of God, who 'searches the deep things of God' (1 Cor. 2:10), puts a relish into us of the 'unsearchable riches of Christ' (Eph. 3:8). 'Taste and see how good God is' (Psa. 34:8). 'How excellent is your loving-kindness, which you have laid up for those who fear you' (Psa. 36:7). 'How precious are your thoughts to me, O Lord' (Psa. 139:17). 'You have the words of everlasting life, to whom shall we go?' (John 6:68) said Peter, when he caught just a glimpse of Christ's divine power.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Saint's Happiness Works, vol. 7, pp. 75-76
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