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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING http://www.heartlight.org/
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Saturday, July 19, 2008
MORNING:
"The Lord our God hath shewed us his glory."
-- Deuteronomy 5:24
God's great design in all his works is the manifestation of his own
glory. Any aim less than this were unworthy of himself. But how shall
the glory of God be manifested to such fallen creatures as we are?
Man's eye is not single, he has ever a side glance towards his own
honour, has too high an estimate of his own powers, and so is not
qualified to behold the glory of the Lord. It is clear, then, that self
must stand out of the way, that there may be room for God to be
exalted; and this is the reason why he bringeth his people ofttimes
into straits and difficulties, that, being made conscious of their own
folly and weakness, they may be fitted to behold the majesty of God
when he comes forth to work their deliverance. He whose life is one
even and smooth path, will see but little of the glory of the Lord, for
he has few occasions of self-emptying, and hence, but little fitness
for being filled with the revelation of God. They who navigate little
streams and shallow creeks, know but little of the God of tempests; but
they who "do business in great waters," these see his "wonders in the
deep." Among the huge Atlantic-waves of bereavement, poverty,
temptation, and reproach, we learn the power of Jehovah, because we
feel the littleness of man. Thank God, then, if you have been led by a
rough road: it is this which has given you your experience of God's
greatness and lovingkindness. Your troubles have enriched you with a
wealth of knowledge to be gained by no other means: your trials have
been the cleft of the rock in which Jehovah has set you, as he did his
servant Moses, that you might behold his glory as it passed by. Praise
God that you have not been left to the darkness and ignorance which
continued prosperity might have involved, but that in the great fight
of affliction, you have been capacitated for the outshinings of his
glory in his wonderful dealings with you.
EVENING:
"A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he
not quench."
-- Matthew 12:20
What is weaker than the bruised reed or the smoking flax? A reed that
groweth in the fen or marsh, let but the wild duck light upon it, and
it snaps; let but the foot of man brush against it, and it is bruised
and broken; every wind that flits across the river moves it to and fro.
You can conceive of nothing more frail or brittle, or whose existence
is more in jeopardy, than a bruised reed. Then look at the smoking
flax-what is it? It has a spark within it, it is true, but it is almost
smothered; an infant's breath might blow it out; nothing has a more
precarious existence than its flame. Weak things are here described,
yet Jesus says of them, "The smoking flax I will not quench; the
bruised reed I will not break." Some of God's children are made strong
to do mighty works for him; God has his Samsons here and there who can
pull up Gaza's gates, and carry them to the top of the hill; he has a
few mighties who are lion-like men, but the majority of his people are
a timid, trembling race. They are like starlings, frightened at every
passer by; a little fearful flock. If temptation comes, they are taken
like birds in a snare; if trial threatens, they are ready to faint;
their frail skiff is tossed up and down by every wave, they are drifted
along like a sea bird on the crest of the billows-weak things, without
strength, without wisdom, without foresight. Yet, weak as they are, and
because they are so weak, they have this promise made specially to
them. Herein is grace and graciousness! Herein is love and
lovingkindness! How it opens to us the compassion of Jesus-so gentle,
tender, considerate! We need never shrink back from his touch. We need
never fear a harsh word from him; though he might well chide us for our
weakness, he rebuketh not. Bruised reeds shall have no blows from him,
and the smoking flax no damping frowns.
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