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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Friday, March 21, 2008
MORNING:
"Ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave
me alone."
-- John 16:32
Few had fellowship with the sorrows of Gethsemane. The majority of the
disciples were not sufficiently advanced in grace to be admitted to
behold the mysteries of "the agony." Occupied with the passover feast
at their own houses, they represent the many who live upon the letter,
but are mere babes as to the spirit of the gospel. To twelve, nay, to
eleven only was the privilege given to enter Gethsemane and see "this
great sight." Out of the eleven, eight were left at a distance; they
had fellowship, but not of that intimate sort to which men greatly
beloved are admitted. Only three highly favoured ones could approach
the veil of our Lord's mysterious sorrow: within that veil even these
must not intrude; a stone's-cast distance must be left between. He must
tread the wine-press alone, and of the people there must be none with
him. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, represent the few eminent,
experienced saints, who may be written down as "Fathers;" these having
done business on great waters, can in some degree measure the huge
Atlantic waves of their Redeemer's passion. To some selected spirits it
is given, for the good of others, and to strengthen them for future,
special, and tremendous conflict, to enter the inner circle and hear
the pleadings of the suffering High Priest; they have fellowship with
him in his sufferings, and are made conformable unto his death. Yet
even these cannot penetrate the secret places of the Saviour's woe.
"Thine unknown sufferings" is the remarkable expression of the Greek
liturgy: there was an inner chamber in our Master's grief, shut out
from human knowledge and fellowship. There Jesus is "left alone." Here
Jesus was more than ever an "Unspeakable gift!" Is not Watts right when
he sings-
"And all the unknown joys he gives,
Were bought with agonies unknown."
EVENING:
"Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose
the bands of Orion?"
-- Job 38:31
If inclined to boast of our abilities, the grandeur of nature may soon
show us how puny we are. We cannot move the least of all the twinkling
stars, or quench so much as one of the beams of the morning. We speak
of power, but the heavens laugh us to scorn. When the Pleiades shine
forth in spring with vernal joy we cannot restrain their influences,
and when Orion reigns aloft, and the year is bound in winter's fetters,
we cannot relax the icy bands. The seasons revolve according to the
divine appointment, neither can the whole race of men effect a change
therein. Lord, what is man?
In the spiritual, as in the natural world, man's power is limited on
all hands. When the Holy Spirit sheds abroad his delights in the soul,
none can disturb; all the cunning and malice of men are ineffectual to
stay the genial quickening power of the Comforter. When he deigns to
visit a church and revive it, the most inveterate enemies cannot resist
the good work; they may ridicule it, but they can no more restrain it
than they can push back the spring when the Pleiades rule the hour. God
wills it, and so it must be. On the other hand, if the Lord in
sovereignty, or in justice, bind up a man so that he is in soul
bondage, who can give him liberty? He alone can remove the winter of
spiritual death from an individual or a people. He looses the bands of
Orion, and none but he. What a blessing it is that he can do it. O that
he would perform the wonder to-night. Lord, end my winter, and let my
spring begin. I cannot with all my longings raise my soul out of her
death and dulness, but all things are possible with thee. I need
celestial influences, the clear shinings of thy love, the beams of thy
grace, the light of thy countenance, these are the Pleiades to me. I
suffer much from sin and temptation, these are my wintry signs, my
terrible Orion. Lord, work wonders in me, and for me. Amen.
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Morning & Evening is the classic devotional by 19th-century writer
and preacher Charles Spurgeon. It's part of HEARTLIGHT Magazine,
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