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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Sunday, January 20, 2008
MORNING:
"Abel was a keeper of sheep."
-- Genesis 4:2
As a shepherd Abel sanctified his work to the glory of God, and offered
a sacrifice of blood upon his altar, and the Lord had respect unto Abel
and his offering. This early type of our Lord is exceedingly clear and
distinct. Like the first streak of light which tinges the east at
sunrise, it does not reveal everything, but it clearly manifests the
great fact that the sun is coming. As we see Abel, a shepherd and yet a
priest, offering a sacrifice of sweet smell unto God, we discern our
Lord, who brings before his Father a sacrifice to which Jehovah ever
hath respect. Abel was hated by his brother-hated without a cause; and
even so was the Saviour: the natural and carnal man hated the accepted
man in whom the Spirit of grace was found, and rested not until his
blood had been shed. Abel fell, and sprinkled his altar and sacrifice
with his own blood, and therein sets forth the Lord Jesus slain by the
enmity of man while serving as a priest before the Lord. "The good
Shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep." Let us weep over him as
we view him slain by the hatred of mankind, staining the horns of his
altar with his own blood. Abel's blood speaketh. "The Lord said unto
Cain, 'The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the
ground.'" The blood of Jesus hath a mighty tongue, and the import of
its prevailing cry is not vengeance but mercy. It is precious beyond
all preciousness to stand at the altar of our good Shepherd! to see him
bleeding there as the slaughtered priest, and then to hear his blood
speaking peace to all his flock, peace in our conscience, peace between
Jew and Gentile, peace between man and his offended Maker, peace all
down the ages of eternity for blood-washed men. Abel is the first
shepherd in order of time, but our hearts shall ever place Jesus first
in order of excellence. Thou great Keeper of the sheep, we the people
of thy pasture bless thee with our whole hearts when we see thee slain
for us.
EVENING:
"Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou
me in thy way."
-- Psalms 119:37
There are divers kinds of vanity. The cap and bells of the fool, the
mirth of the world, the dance, the lyre, and the cup of the dissolute,
all these men know to be vanities; they wear upon their forefront their
proper name and title. Far more treacherous are those equally vain
things, the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. A man
may follow vanity as truly in the counting-house as in the theatre. If
he be spending his life in amassing wealth, he passes his days in a
vain show. Unless we follow Christ, and make our God the great object
of life, we only differ in appearance from the most frivolous. It is
clear that there is much need of the first prayer of our text. "Quicken
thou me in thy way." The Psalmist confesses that he is dull, heavy,
lumpy, all but dead. Perhaps, dear reader, you feel the same. We are so
sluggish that the best motives cannot quicken us, apart from the Lord
himself. What! will not hell quicken me? Shall I think of sinners
perishing, and yet not be awakened? Will not heaven quicken me? Can I
think of the reward that awaiteth the righteous, and yet be cold? Will
not death quicken me? Can I think of dying, and standing before my God,
and yet be slothful in my Master's service? Will not Christ's love
constrain me? Can I think of his dear wounds, can I sit at the foot of
his cross, and not be stirred with fervency and zeal? It seems so! No
mere consideration can quicken us to zeal, but God himself must do it,
hence the cry, "Quicken thou me." The Psalmist breathes out his whole
soul in vehement pleadings: his body and his soul unite in prayer.
"Turn away mine eyes," says the body: "Quicken thou me," cries the
soul. This is a fit prayer for every day. O Lord, hear it in my case
this night.
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