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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Tuesday, January 15, 2008
MORNING:
"Do as thou hast said."
-- 2 Samuel 7:25
God's promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper; he
intended that they should be used. God's gold is not miser's money, but
is minted to be traded with. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to
see his promises put in circulation; he loves to see his children bring
them up to him, and say, "Lord, do as thou hast said." We glorify God
when we plead his promises. Do you think that God will be any the
poorer for giving you the riches he has promised? Do you dream that he
will be any the less holy for giving holiness to you? Do you imagine he
will be any the less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool." Faith lays hold upon the promise of
pardon, and it does not delay, saying, "This is a precious promise, I
wonder if it be true?" but it goes straight to the throne with it, and
pleads, "Lord, here is the promise, 'Do as thou hast said.'" Our Lord
replies, "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." When a Christian grasps a
promise, if he does not take it to God, he dishonours him; but when he
hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, "Lord, I have nothing to
recommend me but this, 'Thou hast said it;'" then his desire shall be
granted. Our heavenly Banker delights to cash his own notes. Never let
the promise rust. Draw the word of promise out of its scabbard, and use
it with holy violence. Think not that God will be troubled by your
importunately reminding him of his promises. He loves to hear the loud
outcries of needy souls. It is his delight to bestow favours. He is
more ready to hear than you are to ask. The sun is not weary of
shining, nor the fountain of flowing. It is God's nature to keep his
promises; therefore go at once to the throne with "Do as thou hast
said."
EVENING:
"But I give myself unto prayer."
-- Psalms 109:4
Lying tongues were busy against the reputation of David, but he did not
defend himself; he moved the case into a higher court, and pleaded
before the great King himself. Prayer is the safest method of replying
to words of hatred. The Psalmist prayed in no cold-hearted manner, he
gave himself to the exercise-threw his whole soul and heart into
it-straining every sinew and muscle, as Jacob did when wrestling with
the angel. Thus, and thus only, shall any of us speed at the throne of
grace. As a shadow has no power because there is no substance in it,
even so that supplication, in which a man's proper self is not
thoroughly present in agonizing earnestness and vehement desire, is
utterly ineffectual, for it lacks that which would give it force.
"Fervent prayer," says an old divine, "like a cannon planted at the
gates of heaven, makes them fly open." The common fault with the most
of us is our readiness to yield to distractions. Our thoughts go roving
hither and thither, and we make little progress towards our desired
end. Like quicksilver our mind will not hold together, but rolls off
this way and that. How great an evil this is! It injures us, and what
is worse, it insults our God. What should we think of a petitioner, if,
while having an audience with a prince, he should be playing with a
feather or catching a fly?
Continuance and perseverance are intended in the expression of our
text. David did not cry once, and then relapse into silence; his holy
clamour was continued till it brought down the blessing. Prayer must
not be our chance work, but our daily business, our habit and vocation.
As artists give themselves to their models, and poets to their
classical pursuits, so must we addict ourselves to prayer. We must be
immersed in prayer as in our element, and so pray without ceasing.
Lord, teach us so to pray that we may be more and more prevalent in
supplication.
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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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