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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
http://www.heartlight.org/
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
MORNING:
"The eternal God is thy refuge."
-- Deuteronomy 33:27
The word refuge may be translated "mansion," or "abiding- place," which
gives the thought that God is our abode, our home. There is a fulness
and sweetness in the metaphor, for dear to our hearts is our home,
although it be the humblest cottage, or the scantiest garret; and
dearer far is our blessed God, in whom we live, and move, and have our
being. It is at home that we feel safe: we shut the world out and dwell
in quiet security. So when we are with our God we "fear no evil." He is
our shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge. At home, we take our rest;
it is there we find repose after the fatigue and toil of the day. And
so our hearts find rest in God, when, wearied with life's conflict, we
turn to him, and our soul dwells at ease. At home, also, we let our
hearts loose; we are not afraid of being misunderstood, nor of our
words being misconstrued. So when we are with God we can commune freely
with him, laying open all our hidden desires; for if the "secret of the
Lord is with them that fear him," the secrets of them that fear him
ought to be, and must be, with their Lord. Home, too, is the place of
our truest and purest happiness: and it is in God that our hearts find
their deepest delight. We have joy in him which far surpasses all other
joy. It is also for home that we work and labour. The thought of it
gives strength to bear the daily burden, and quickens the fingers to
perform the task; and in this sense we may also say that God is our
home. Love to him strengthens us. We think of him in the person of his
dear Son; and a glimpse of the suffering face of the Redeemer
constrains us to labour in his cause. We feel that we must work, for we
have brethren yet to be saved, and we have our Father's heart to make
glad by bringing home his wandering sons; we would fill with holy mirth
the sacred family among whom we dwell. Happy are those who have thus
the God of Jacob for their refuge!
EVENING:
"It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master."
-- Matthew 10:25
No one will dispute this statement, for it would be unseemly for the
servant to be exalted above his Master. When our Lord was on earth,
what was the treatment he received? Were his claims acknowledged, his
instructions followed, his perfections worshipped, by those whom he
came to bless? No; "He was despised and rejected of men." Outside the
camp was his place: cross-bearing was his occupation. Did the world
yield him solace and rest? "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air
have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." This
inhospitable country afforded him no shelter: it cast him out and
crucified him. Such-if you are a follower of Jesus, and maintain a
consistent, Christ-like walk and conversation-you must expect to be the
lot of that part of your spiritual life which, in its outward
development, comes under the observation of men. They will treat it as
they treated the Saviour-they will despise it. Dream not that
worldlings will admire you, or that the more holy and the more
Christ-like you are, the more peaceably people will act towards you.
They prized not the polished gem, how should they value the jewel in
the rough? "If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how
much more shall they call them of his household?" If we were more like
Christ, we should be more hated by his enemies. It were a sad dishonour
to a child of God to be the world's favourite. It is a very ill omen to
hear a wicked world clap its hands and shout "Well done" to the
Christian man. He may begin to look to his character, and wonder
whether he has not been doing wrong, when the unrighteous give him
their approbation. Let us be true to our Master, and have no friendship
with a blind and base world which scorns and rejects him. Far be it
from us to seek a crown of honour where our Lord found a coronet of
thorn.
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MORNING & EVENING from HEARTLIGHT /\/\
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Morning & Evening is the classic devotional by 19th-century writer
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