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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Wednesday, July 16, 2008
MORNING:
"They gathered manna every morning."
-- Exodus 16:21
Labour to maintain a sense of thine entire dependence upon the Lord's
good will and pleasure for the continuance of thy richest enjoyments.
Never try to live on the old manna, nor seek to find help in Egypt. All
must come from Jesus, or thou art undone for ever. Old anointings will
not suffice to impart unction to thy spirit; thine head must have fresh
oil poured upon it from the golden horn of the sanctuary, or it will
cease from its glory. To-day thou mayest be upon the summit of the
mount of God, but he who has put thee there must keep thee there, or
thou wilt sink far more speedily than thou dreamest. Thy mountain only
stands firm when he settles it in its place; if he hide his face, thou
wilt soon be troubled. If the Saviour should see fit, there is not a
window through which thou seest the light of heaven which he could not
darken in an instant. Joshua bade the sun stand still, but Jesus can
shroud it in total darkness. He can withdraw the joy of thine heart,
the light of thine eyes, and the strength of thy life; in his hand thy
comforts lie, and at his will they can depart from thee. This hourly
dependence our Lord is determined that we shall feel and recognize, for
he only permits us to pray for "daily bread," and only promises that
"as our days our strength shall be." Is it not best for us that it
should be so, that we may often repair to his throne, and constantly be
reminded of his love? Oh! how rich the grace which supplies us so
continually, and doth not refrain itself because of our ingratitude!
The golden shower never ceases, the cloud of blessing tarries evermore
above our habitation. O Lord Jesus, we would bow at thy feet, conscious
of our utter inability to do anything without thee, and in every favour
which we are privileged to receive, we would adore thy blessed name and
acknowledge thine unexhausted love.
EVENING:
"Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to
favour her, yea, the set time is come. For thy servants rake
pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof."
-- Psalms 102:13,
A selfish man in trouble is exceedingly hard to comfort, because the
springs of his comfort lie entirely within himself, and when he is sad
all his springs are dry. But a large-hearted man full of Christian
philanthropy, has other springs from which to supply himself with
comfort beside those which lie within. He can go to his God first of
all, and there find abundant help; and he can discover arguments for
consolation in things relating to the world at large, to his country,
and, above all, to the church. David in this Psalm was exceedingly
sorrowful; he wrote, "I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am
as a sparrow alone upon the house top." The only way in which he could
comfort himself, was in the reflection that God would arise, and have
mercy upon Zion: though he was sad, yet Zion should prosper; however
low his own estate, yet Zion should arise. Christian man! learn to
comfort thyself in God's gracious dealing towards the church. That
which is so dear to thy Master, should it not be dear above all else to
thee? What though thy way be dark, canst thou not gladden thine heart
with the triumphs of his cross and the spread of his truth? Our own
personal troubles are forgotten while we look, not only upon what God
has done, and is doing for Zion, but on the glorious things he will yet
do for his church. Try this receipt, O believer, whenever thou art sad
of heart and in heaviness of spirit: forget thyself and thy little
concerns, and seek the welfare and prosperity of Zion. When thou
bendest thy knee in prayer to God, limit not thy petition to the narrow
circle of thine own life, tried though it be, but send out thy longing
prayers for the church's prosperity, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,"
and thine own soul shall be refreshed.
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MORNING & EVENING from HEARTLIGHT /\/\
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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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