Evening and Morning
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
February 20
Morning
"God,
that comforteth those that are cast
down."—2 Corinthians 7:6.
And who comforteth like Him? Go to some poor, melancholy,
distressed child of God; tell him sweet promises, and whisper in his ear choice
words of comfort; he is like the deaf adder, he listens not to the voice of the
charmer, charm he never so wisely. He is drinking gall and wormwood, and comfort him as you may, it will be only a note or two of
mournful resignation that you will get from him; you will bring forth no psalms
of praise, no hallelujahs, no joyful sonnets. But let God come to His
child, let Him lift up his countenance, and the mourner's eyes glisten with
hope. Do you not hear him sing—
"'Tis paradise, if thou art here;
If thou
depart, 'tis hell?"
You could not have cheered
him: but the Lord has done it; "He is the God of all comfort." There
is no balm in Gilead, but there is balm in God. There is no physician among the
creatures, but the Creator is Jehovah-rophi. It is marvellous how one sweet word of God will make whole songs
for Christians. One word of God is like a piece of gold, and the Christian is
the goldbeater, and can hammer that promise out for whole weeks. So, then, poor
Christian, thou needest not sit down in despair. Go
to the Comforter, and ask Him to give thee consolation. Thou art a poor dry
well. You have heard it said, that when a pump is dry, you must pour water down
it first of all, and then you will get water, and so, Christian, when thou art
dry, go to God, ask Him to shed abroad His joy in thy heart, and then thy joy
shall be full. Do not go to earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job's
comforters after all; but go first and foremost to thy "God, that comforteth those that are cast down," and you will
soon say, "In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight
my soul."
Evening
"Then
was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the
devil."—Matthew 4:1.
A holy character does not
avert temptation—Jesus was tempted. When Satan tempts us, his sparks fall
upon tinder; but in Christ's case, it was like striking sparks on water; yet
the enemy continued his evil work. Now, if the devil goes on striking when there
is no result, how much more will he do it when he knows what inflammable stuff
our hearts are made of. Though you become greatly sanctified by the Holy Ghost,
expect that the great dog of hell will bark at you still. In the haunts of men
we expect to be tempted, but even seclusion will not guard us from the same
trial. Jesus Christ was led away from human society into the wilderness, and
was tempted of the devil. Solitude has its charms and its benefits, and may be
useful in checking the lust of the eye and the pride of life; but the devil
will follow us into the most lovely retreats. Do not
suppose that it is only the worldly-minded who have dreadful thoughts and
blasphemous temptations, for even spiritual-minded persons endure the same; and
in the holiest position we may suffer the darkest temptation. The utmost
consecration of spirit will not insure you against Satanic
temptation. Christ was consecrated through and through. It was His meat and
drink to do the will of Him that sent Him: and yet He was tempted! Your hearts
may glow with a seraphic flame of love to Jesus, and yet the devil will try to
bring you down to Laodicean lukewarmness.
If you will tell me when God permits a Christian to lay aside his armour, I will tell you when Satan has left off temptation.
Like the old knights in war time, we must sleep with
helmet and breastplate buckled on, for the arch-deceiver will seize our first
unguarded hour to make us his prey. The Lord keep us watchful in all seasons,
and give us a final escape from the jaw of the lion and the paw of the bear.