Evening and
Morning
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
May 12
Morning
"And will manifest myself to him."—John 14:21.
The Lord Jesus gives
special revelations of Himself to His people. Even if Scripture did not declare
this, there are many of the children of God who could testify the truth of it
from their own experience. They have had manifestations of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in a peculiar manner, such as no mere
reading or hearing could afford. In the biographies of eminent saints, you will
find many instances recorded in which Jesus has been pleased, in a very special
manner to speak to their souls, and to unfold the wonders of His person; yea,
so have their souls been steeped in happiness that they have thought themselves
to be in heaven, whereas they were not there, though they were well nigh on the
threshold of it—for when Jesus manifests Himself to His people, it is heaven
on earth; it is paradise in embryo; it is bliss begun. Especial manifestations
of Christ exercise a holy influence on the believer's heart. One effect will be
humility. If a man says, "I have had such-and-such spiritual
communications, I am a great man," he has never had any communion with
Jesus at all; for "God hath respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off." He does not need to come near them
to know them, and will never give them any visits of love. Another effect will
be happiness; for in God's presence there are pleasures for evermore. Holiness
will be sure to follow. A man who has no holiness has never had this
manifestation. Some men profess a great deal; but we must not believe any one
unless we see that his deeds answer to what he says. "Be not deceived; God
is not mocked." He will not bestow His favours
upon the wicked: for while He will not cast away a perfect man, neither will He
respect an evil doer. Thus there will be three effects
of nearness to Jesus—humility, happiness, and holiness. May God give them
to thee, Christian!
Evening
"Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will
there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I
will also surely bring thee up again."—Genesis 46:3,4.
Jacob must have
shuddered at the thought of leaving the land of his father's sojourning, and
dwelling among heathen strangers. It was a new scene, and likely to be a
trying one: who shall venture among couriers of a foreign monarch without
anxiety? Yet the way was evidently appointed for him, and therefore he
resolved to go. This is frequently the position of believers now—they are
called to perils and temptations altogether untried: at such seasons let
them imitate Jacob's example by offering sacrifices of prayer unto God, and
seeking His direction; let them not take a step until they have waited upon the
Lord for His blessing: then they will have Jacob's companion to be their
friend and helper. How blessed to feel assured that the Lord is with us in all
our ways, and condescends to go down into our humiliations and banishments with
us! Even beyond the ocean our Father's love beams like the sun in its strength.
We cannot hesitate to go where Jehovah promises His presence; even the valley
of deathshade grows bright with the radiance of this
assurance. Marching onwards with faith in their God, believers shall have
Jacob's promise. They shall be brought up again, whether it be from the troubles of life or the chambers of death.
Jacob's seed came out of Egypt in due time, and so shall all the faithful pass
unscathed through the tribulation of life, and the terror of death. Let us exercise
Jacob's confidence. "Fear not," is the Lord's command and His
divine encouragement to those who at His bidding are launching upon new seas; the divine presence and preservation forbid so much as one
unbelieving fear. Without our God we should fear to move; but when He bids us
to, it would be dangerous to tarry. Reader, go
forward, and fear not.