Evening and
Morning
By
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
May
11
Morning
"I am with you alway."—Matthew 28:20.
It is well there is One who is ever the same, and who is ever with us. It is
well there is one stable rock amidst the billows of the sea of life. O my soul,
set not thine affections upon rusting, moth-eaten,
decaying treasures, but set thine heart upon Him who
abides for ever faithful to thee. Build not thine house upon the moving quicksands
of a deceitful world, but found thy hopes upon this rock, which, amid
descending rain and roaring floods, shall stand immovably secure. My soul, I
charge thee, lay up thy treasure in the only secure cabinet; store thy jewels
where thou canst never lose them. Put thine all in
Christ; set all thine affections on His person, all
thy hope in His merit, all thy trust in His efficacious blood, all thy joy in
His presence, and so thou mayest laugh at loss, and
defy destruction. Remember that all the flowers in the world's garden fade by
turns, and the day cometh when nothing will be left but the black, cold earth.
Death's black extinguisher must soon put out thy candle. Oh! how
sweet to have sunlight when the candle is gone! The dark flood must soon roll
between thee and all thou hast; then wed thine heart
to Him who will never leave thee; trust thyself with Him who will go with thee
through the black and surging current of death's stream, and who will land thee
safely on the celestial shore, and make thee sit with Him in heavenly places
for ever. Go, sorrowing son of affliction, tell thy
secrets to the Friend who sticketh closer than a
brother. Trust all thy concerns with Him who never can be taken from thee, who
will never leave thee, and who will never let thee leave Him, even "Jesus
Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." "Lo, I am with
you alway," is enough for my soul to live upon,
let who will forsake me.
Evening
"Only be thou strong and very
courageous."—Joshua 1:7.
Our God's tender love for
His servants makes Him concerned for the state of their inward feelings. He
desires them to be of good courage. Some esteem it a small thing for a believer
to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so. From this text it is
plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us
without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice. Our Master does not
think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are
subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at once
to the beloved Physician. Our Lord loveth not to see
our countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that
no one should come into the king's court dressed in mourning: this is not the
law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are; but still He
would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise,
for there is much reason to rejoice. The Christian man ought to be of a
courageous spirit, in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful and
fainthearted, it will dishonour his God.
Besides, what a bad example it is. This disease of doubtfulness and
discouragement is an epidemic which soon spreads
amongst the Lord's flock. One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad.
Moreover, unless your courage is kept up Satan will be too much for you.
Let your spirit be joyful in God your Saviour, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, and no
fiend of hell shall make headway against you: but cowardice throws down the
banner. Moreover, labour is light to a
man of cheerful spirit; and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who
toils, rejoicing in his God, believing with all his heart, has success
guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader,
"be thou strong, and very courageous."