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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
http://www.heartlight.org/
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
MORNING:
"So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat
continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his
feet."
-- 2 Samuel 9:13
Mephibosheth was no great ornament to a royal table, yet he had a
continual place at David's board, because the king could see in his
face the features of the beloved Jonathan. Like Mephibosheth, we may
cry unto the King of Glory, "What is thy servant, that thou shouldst
look upon such a dead dog as I am?" but still the Lord indulges us with
most familiar intercourse with himself, because he sees in our
countenances the remembrance of his dearly-beloved Jesus. The Lord's
people are dear for another's sake. Such is the love which the Father
bears to his only begotten, that for his sake he raises his lowly
brethren from poverty and banishment, to courtly companionship, noble
rank, and royal provision. Their deformity shall not rob them of their
privileges. Lameness is no bar to sonship; the cripple is as much the
heir as if he could run like Asahel. Our right does not limp, though
our might may. A king's table is a noble hiding-place for lame legs,
and at the gospel feast we learn to glory in infirmities, because the
power of Christ resteth upon us. Yet grievous disability may mar the
persons of the best-loved saints. Here is one feasted by David, and yet
so lame in both his feet that he could not go up with the king when he
fled from the city, and was therefore maligned and injured by his
servant Ziba. Saints whose faith is weak, and whose knowledge is
slender, are great losers; they are exposed to many enemies, and cannot
follow the king whithersoever he goeth. This disease frequently arises
from falls. Bad nursing in their spiritual infancy often causes
converts to fall into a despondency from which they never recover, and
sin in other cases brings broken bones. Lord, help the lame to leap
like an hart, and satisfy all thy people with the bread of thy table!
EVENING:
"What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a
dead dog as I am?"
-- 2 Samuel 9:8
If Mephibosheth was thus humbled by David's kindness, what shall we be
in the presence of our gracious Lord? The more grace we have, the less
we shall think of ourselves, for grace, like light, reveals our
impurity. Eminent saints have scarcely known to what to compare
themselves, their sense of unworthiness has been so clear and keen. "I
am," says holy Rutherford, "a dry and withered branch, a piece of dead
carcass, dry bones, and not able to step over a straw." In another
place he writes, "Except as to open outbreakings, I want nothing of
what Judas and Cain had." The meanest objects in nature appear to the
humbled mind to have a preference above itself, because they have never
contracted sin: a dog may be greedy, fierce, or filthy, but it has no
conscience to violate, no Holy Spirit to resist. A dog may be a
worthless animal, and yet by a little kindness it is soon won to love
its master, and is faithful unto death; but we forget the goodness of
the Lord, and follow not at his call. The term "dead dog" is the most
expressive of all terms of contempt, but it is none too strong to
express the self- abhorrence of instructed believers. They do not
affect mock modesty, they mean what they say, they have weighed
themselves in the balances of the sanctuary, and found out the vanity
of their nature. At best, we are but clay, animated dust, mere walking
hillocks; but viewed as sinners, we are monsters indeed. Let it be
published in heaven as a wonder, that the Lord Jesus should set his
heart's love upon such as we are. Dust and ashes though we be, we must
and will "magnify the exceeding greatness of his grace." Could not his
heart find rest in heaven? Must he needs come to these tents of Kedar
for a spouse, and choose a bride upon whom the sun had looked? O
heavens and earth, break forth into a song, and give all glory to our
sweet Lord Jesus.
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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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