Evening and Morning
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
March 5
MORNING
ÒLet us not sleep, as do others.Ó — 1 Thessalonians 5:6
There are many ways of promoting Christian wakefulness. Among the rest, let me strongly advise Christians to converse together concerning the ways of the Lord. Christian and Hopeful, as they journeyed towards the Celestial City, said to themselves, ÒTo prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall into good discourse.Ó Christian enquired, ÒBrother, where shall we begin?Ó And Hopeful answered, ÒWhere God began with us.Ó Then Christian sang this song —
ÒWhen saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither,
And hear how these two pilgrims talk together;
Yea, let them learn of them, in any wise,
Thus to keep open their drowsy slumbÕring eyes.
SaintsÕ fellowship, if it be managed well,
Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell.Ó
Christians who
isolate themselves and walk alone, are very liable to grow drowsy. Hold
Christian company, and you will be kept wakeful by it, and refreshed and
encouraged to make quicker progress in the road to heaven. But as you thus take
Òsweet counselÓ with others in the ways of God, take care that the theme of
your converse is the Lord Jesus. Let the eye of faith be constantly looking
unto Him; let your heart be full of Him; let your lips speak of His worth.
Friend, live near to the cross, and thou wilt not sleep. Labour
to impress thyself with a deep sense of the value of the place to which thou
art going. If thou rememberest that thou art going to
heaven, thou wilt not sleep on the road. If thou thinkest
that hell is behind thee, and the devil pursuing thee, thou wilt not loiter.
Would the manslayer sleep with the avenger of blood behind him, and the city of
refuge before him? Christian, wilt thou sleep whilst the pearly gates are open
— the songs of angels waiting for thee to join them — a crown of
gold ready for thy brow? Ah! no; in holy fellowship
continue to watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.
EVENING
ÒSay unto my soul, I am thy salvation.Ó — Psalm 35:3
What
does this sweet prayer teach me? It shall be my eveningÕs petition; but first
let it yield me an instructive meditation. The text informs me first of all
that David had his doubts; for why should he pray, ÒSay unto my soul, I am thy
salvation,Ó if he were not sometimes exercised with doubts and fears? Let me,
then, be of good cheer, for I am not the only saint who has to complain of
weakness of faith. If David doubted, I need not conclude that I am no Christian
because I have doubts. The text reminds me that David was not content while he
had doubts and fears, but he repaired at once to the mercy-seat to pray for
assurance; for he valued it as much fine gold. I too must labour
after an abiding sense of my acceptance in the Beloved, and must have no joy
when His love is not shed abroad in my soul. When my Bridegroom is gone from
me, my soul must and will fast. I learn also that David knew where to obtain
full assurance. He went to his God in prayer, crying, ÒSay
unto my soul I am thy salvation.Ó I must be much alone with God if I would have
a clear sense of JesusÕ love. Let my prayers cease, and my eye of faith will
grow dim. Much in prayer, much in heaven; slow in
prayer, slow in progress. I notice that David would not be satisfied unless his
assurance had a divine source. ÒSay unto my soul.Ó Lord, do Thou say it ! Nothing short of a divine testimony in the soul will
ever content the true Christian. Moreover, David could not rest unless his
assurance had a vivid personality about it. ÒSay unto my soul, I am thy
salvation.Ó Lord, if Thou shouldst say this to all
the saints, it were nothing, unless Thou shouldst say
it to me. Lord, I have sinned; I deserve not Thy smile; I scarcely dare to ask
it; but oh! say to my soul,
even to my soul, ÒI am thy salvation.Ó Let me have a present, personal,
infallible, indisputable sense that I am Thine, and
that Thou art mine.