Evening and
Morning
By Charles
Haddon Spurgeon
September
18
Morning
"If we
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."—Galatians 5:25.
The two most important
things in our holy religion are the life of faith and the walk of
faith. He who shall rightly understand these is not far from being a master
in experimental theology, for they are vital points to a Christian. You will
never find true faith unattended by true godliness; on the other hand, you will
never discover a truly holy life, which has not for its root a living faith
upon the righteousness of Christ. Woe unto those who seek after the one without
the other! There are some who cultivate faith and forget holiness; these may be
very high in orthodoxy, but they shall be very deep in condemnation, for they
hold the truth in unrighteousness; and there are others who have strained after
holiness of life, but have denied the faith, like the Pharisees of old, of whom
the Master said, they were "whitewashed sepulchres."
We must have faith, for this is the foundation; we must have holiness of life,
for this is the superstructure. Of what service is the mere foundation of a
building to a man in the day of tempest? Can he hide himself therein? He wants
a house to cover him, as well as a foundation for that house. Even so we need
the superstructure of spiritual life if we would have comfort in the day of
doubt. But seek not a holy life without faith, for that would be to erect a house which can afford no permanent shelter, because it has
no foundation on a rock. Let faith and life be put together, and, like the two
abutments of an arch, they will make our piety enduring. Like light and heat
streaming from the same sun, they are alike full of blessing. Like the two
pillars of the temple, they are for glory and for beauty. They are two streams
from the fountain of grace; two lamps lit with holy fire;
two olive trees watered by heavenly care. O Lord, give us this day life within,
and it will reveal itself without to Thy glory.
Evening
"And
they follow me."—John 10:27.
We should follow our Lord
as unhesitatingly as sheep follow their shepherd, for He has a right to lead
us wherever He pleases. We are not our own, we are bought with a
price—let us recognize the rights of the redeeming blood. The soldier
follows his captain, the servant obeys his master, much more must we follow our
Redeemer, to whom we are a purchased possession. We are not true to our
profession of being Christians, if we question the bidding of our Leader and
Commander. Submission is our duty, cavilling is our
folly. Often might our Lord say to us as to Peter, "What is that to thee?
Follow thou Me." Wherever Jesus may lead us, He
goes before us. If we know not where we go, we know with whom we go. With
such a companion, who will dread the perils of the road? The journey may be
long, but His everlasting arms will carry us to the end. The presence of Jesus
is the assurance of eternal salvation, because He lives, we shall live also. We
should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because the paths in which He
leads us all end in glory and immortality. It is true they may not be
smooth paths—they may be covered with sharp flinty trials, but they lead
to the "city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
"All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His
covenant." Let us put full trust in our Leader, since we know that, come
prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt, His
purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall be pure, unmingled good to
every heir of mercy. We shall find it sweet to go up the bleak side of the hill
with Christ; and when rain and snow blow into our faces, His dear love will
make us far more blest than those who sit at home and warm their hands at the
world's fire. To the top of Amana, to the dens of lions, or to the hills of
leopards, we will follow our Beloved. Precious Jesus, draw us, and we will run
after Thee.