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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING http://www.heartlight.org/
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Friday, July 18, 2008
MORNING:
"They shall go hindmost with their standards."
-- Numbers 2:31
The camp of Dan brought up the rear when the armies of Israel were on
the march. The Danites occupied the hindmost place, but what mattered
the position, since they were as truly part of the host as were the
foremost tribes; they followed the same fiery cloudy pillar, they ate
of the same manna, drank of the same spiritual rock, and journeyed to
the same inheritance. Come, my heart, cheer up, though last and least;
it is thy privilege to be in the army, and to fare as they fare who
lead the van. Some one must be hindmost in honour and esteem, some one
must do menial work for Jesus, and why should not I? In a poor village,
among an ignorant peasantry; or in a back street, among degraded
sinners, I will work on, and "go hindmost with my standard."
The Danites occupied a very useful place. Stragglers have to be picked
up upon the march, and lost property has to be gathered from the field.
Fiery spirits may dash forward over untrodden paths to learn fresh
truth, and win more souls to Jesus; but some of a more conservative
spirit may be well engaged in reminding the church of her ancient
faith, and restoring her fainting sons. Every position has its duties,
and the slowly moving children of God will find their peculiar state
one in which they may be eminently a blessing to the whole host.
The rear guard is a place of danger. There are foes behind us as well
as before us. Attacks may come from any quarter. We read that Amalek
fell upon Israel, and slew some of the hindmost of them. The
experienced Christian will find much work for his weapons in aiding
those poor doubting, desponding, wavering, souls, who are hindmost in
faith, knowledge, and joy. These must not be left unaided, and
therefore be it the business of well-taught saints to bear their
standards among the hindmost. My soul, do thou tenderly watch to help
the hindmost this day.
EVENING:
"Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one
in his path."
-- Joel 2:8
Locusts always keep their rank, and although their number is legion,
they do not crowd upon each other, so as to throw their columns into
confusion. This remarkable fact in natural history shows how thoroughly
the Lord has infused the spirit of order into his universe, since the
smallest animate creatures are as much controlled by it as are the
rolling spheres or the seraphic messengers. It would be wise for
believers to be ruled by the same influence in all their spiritual
life. In their Christian graces no one virtue should usurp the sphere
of another, or eat out the vitals of the rest for its own support.
Affection must not smother honesty, courage must not elbow weakness out
of the field, modesty must not jostle energy, and patience must not
slaughter resolution. So also with our duties, one must not interfere
with another; public usefulness must not injure private piety; church
work must not push family worship into a corner. It is ill to offer God
one duty stained with the blood of another. Each thing is beautiful in
its season, but not otherwise. It was to the Pharisee that Jesus said,
"This ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone."
The same rule applies to our personal position, we must take care to
know our place, take it, and keep to it. We must minister as the Spirit
has given us ability, and not intrude upon our fellow servant's domain.
Our Lord Jesus taught us not to covet the high places, but to be
willing to be the least among the brethren. Far from us be an envious,
ambitious spirit, let us feel the force of the Master's command, and do
as he bids us, keeping rank with the rest of the host. To-night let us
see whether we are keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of
peace, and let our prayer be that, in all the churches of the Lord
Jesus, peace and order may prevail.
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