Evening and Morning
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
May 13
Morning
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy
cometh in the morning."—Psalm 30:5.
Christian! If thou art in a night of trial, think of the morrow; cheer
up thy heart with the thought of the coming of thy Lord. Be patient, for
"Lo! He
comes with clouds descending."
Be patient! The Husbandman waits until He
reaps His harvest. Be patient; for you know who has said, "Behold, I come
quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work
shall be." If you are never so wretched now, remember
"A few
more rolling suns, at most,
Will land thee
on fair Canaan's coast."
Thy head may be crowned with thorny troubles
now, but it shall wear a starry crown ere long; thy hand may be filled with
cares—it shall sweep the strings of the harp of heaven soon. Thy garments
may be soiled with dust now; they shall be white by-and-by. Wait a little longer.
Ah! how despicable our troubles and trials will seem
when we look back upon them! Looking at them here in the prospect, they seem
immense; but when we get to heaven we shall then
"With
transporting joys recount,
The labours of our feet."
Our trials will then seem light and
momentary afflictions. Let us go on boldly; if the night be
never so dark, the morning cometh, which is more than they can say who are shut
up in the darkness of hell. Do you know what it is thus to live on the
future—to live on expectation—to antedate heaven? Happy believer, to have so sure, so comforting a hope. It
may be all dark now, but it will soon be light; it may
be all trial now, but it will soon be all happiness. What matters it though
"weeping may endure for a night," when "joy cometh in the
morning?"
Evening
"Thou art my portion, O Lord."—Psalm 119:57.
Look at thy possessions, O believer, and compare thy portion with the
lot of thy fellowmen. Some of them have their portion in the field; they are
rich, and their harvests yield them a golden increase; but what are harvests
compared with thy God, who is the God of harvests? What are bursting granaries
compared with Him, who is the Husbandman, and feeds thee with the bread of
heaven? Some have their portion in the city; their wealth is abundant, and
flows to them in constant streams, until they become a very reservoir of gold;
but what is gold compared with thy God? Thou couldst
not live on it; thy spiritual life could not be sustained by it. Put it on a
troubled conscience, and could it allay its pangs? Apply it to a desponding
heart, and see if it could stay a solitary groan, or give one grief the less?
But thou hast God, and in Him thou hast more than gold or riches ever could
buy. Some have their portion in that which most men love—applause and
fame; but ask thyself, is not thy God more to thee than that? What if a myriad clarions should be loud in thine
applause, would this prepare thee to pass the Jordan, or cheer thee in prospect
of judgment? No, there are griefs in life which
wealth cannot alleviate; and there is the deep need of a dying hour, for which
no riches can provide. But when thou hast God for thy portion, thou hast
more than all else put together. In Him every want is met, whether in life or
in death. With God for thy portion thou art rich indeed, for He will supply thy
need, comfort thy heart, assuage thy grief, guide thy steps, be with thee in
the dark valley, and then take thee home, to enjoy Him as thy portion for ever.
"I have enough," said Esau; this is the best thing a worldly man can
say, but Jacob replies, "I have all things," which is a note too high
for carnal minds.