Evening and Morning
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
July 24
Morning
"Stand
still, and see the salvation of the Lord."—Exodus 14:13.
These words contain God's
command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into
extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut
up on the right hand and on the left; what is he now to do? The Master's word
to him is, "Stand still." It will be well for him if at such times he
listens only to his Master's word, for other and evil advisers come with their
suggestions. Despair whispers, "Lie down and die; give it all
up." But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our
worst times, rejoice in His love and faithfulness. Cowardice says,
"Retreat; go back to the worldling's way of
action; you cannot play the Christian's part, it is too difficult. Relinquish
your principles." But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you,
you cannot follow it if you are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go
from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall
turn thee from thy course. What, if for a while thou art
called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater
advance in due time. Precipitancy cries, "do something. Stir
yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness." We must be
doing something at once—we must do it so we think—instead of
looking to the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything. Presumption
boasts, "If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a
miracle." But Faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to
Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, "Stand still,"
and immovable as a rock it stands. "Stand still";—keep the posture of an
upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and
patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall
say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, "Go
forward."
Evening
"His
camp is very great."—Joel 2:11.
Consider, my soul, the
mightiness of the Lord who is thy glory and defence. He is a man of war, Jehovah is His name.
All the forces of heaven are at His beck, legions wait at His door,
cherubim and seraphim;, watchers and holy ones,
principalities and powers, are all attentive to His will. If our eyes were not
blinded by the ophthalmia of the flesh, we should see
horses of fire and chariots of fire round about the Lord's beloved. The
powers of nature are all subject to the absolute control of the Creator:
stormy wind and tempest, lightning and rain, and snow, and hail, and the soft
dews and cheering sunshine, come and go at His decree. The bands of Orion He looseth, and bindeth the sweet
influences of the Pleiades. Earth, sea, and air, and the places under the
earth, are the barracks for Jehovah's great armies; space is His camping
ground, light is His banner, and flame is His sword. When He goeth forth to war, famine ravages the land, pestilence
smites the nations, hurricane sweeps the sea, tornado shakes the mountains, and
earthquake makes the solid world to tremble. As for animate creatures,
they all own His dominion, and from the great fish which swallowed the prophet,
down to "all manner of flies," which plagued the field of Zoan, all are His servants, and like the palmer-worm, the
caterpillar, and the cankerworm, are squadrons of His great army, for His camp
is very great. My soul, see to it that thou be at peace with this mighty King,
yea, more, be sure to enlist under His banner, for to war against Him is
madness, and to serve Him is glory. Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, is ready to
receive recruits for the army of the Lord: if I am not already enlisted let me
go to Him ere I sleep, and beg to be accepted through His merits; and if I be
already, as I hope I am, a soldier of the cross, let me be of good courage; for
the enemy is powerless compared with my Lord, whose camp is very great.