Evening and Morning
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
July 1
Morning
"In summer and in winter shall it
be."—Zechariah 14:8.
The streams of
living water which flow from Jerusalem are not dried
up by the parching heats of sultry midsummer any more than they were frozen by
the cold winds of blustering winter. Rejoice, O my soul, that thou art spared
to testify of the faithfulness of the Lord. The seasons change and thou changest, but thy Lord abides evermore the same, and the
streams of His love are as deep, as broad and as full as ever. The heats of
business cares and scorching trials make me need the cooling influences of the
river of His grace; I may go at once and drink to the full from the
inexhaustible fountain, for in summer and in winter it pours forth its flood.
The upper springs are never scanty, and blessed be the name of the Lord, the
nether springs cannot fail either. Elijah found Cherith
dry up, but Jehovah was still the same God of providence. Job said his brethren
were like deceitful brooks, but he found his God an overflowing river of
consolation. The Nile is the great confidence of Egypt, but its floods are
variable; our Lord is evermore the same. By turning the course of the
Euphrates, Cyrus took the city of Babylon, but no power, human or infernal, can
divert the current of divine grace. The tracks of ancient rivers have been
found all dry and desolate, but the streams which take their
rise on the mountains of divine sovereignty and infinite love shall ever
be full to the brim. Generations melt away, but the course of grace is
unaltered. The river of God may sing with greater truth than the brook in the
poem—
"Men may come, and men may go,
But I go on for ever."
How happy art thou, my
soul, to be led beside such still waters! never wander
to other streams, lest thou hear the Lord's rebuke, "What hast thou to do
in the way of Egypt to drink of the muddy river?"
Evening
"The voice of the Lord God walking in the
garden in the cool of the day."—Genesis 3:8.
My soul,
now that the cool of the day has come, retire awhile and hearken to the
voice of thy God. He is always ready to speak with thee when thou art prepared
to hear. If there be any slowness to commune it is not on His part, but
altogether on thine own, for He stands at the door
and knocks, and if His people will but open He rejoices to enter. But in what
state is my heart, which is my Lord's garden? May I venture to hope that it is
well trimmed and watered, and is bringing forth fruit fit for Him? If not, He
will have much to reprove, but still I pray Him to come unto me, for nothing
can so certainly bring my heart into a right condition as the presence of the
Sun of Righteousness, who brings healing in His wings. Come, therefore, O Lord,
my God, my soul invites Thee earnestly, and waits for Thee eagerly. Come to me,
O Jesus, my well-beloved, and plant fresh flowers in my garden, such as I see
blooming in such perfection in Thy matchless character! Come, O my Father, who
art the Husbandman, and deal with me in Thy tenderness and prudence! Come, O
Holy Spirit, and bedew my whole nature, as the herbs are now moistened with the
evening dews. O that God would speak to me. Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth! O that He would walk with me; I am ready to give
up my whole heart and mind to Him, and every other thought is hushed. I am only
asking what He delights to give. I am sure that He will condescend to have
fellowship with me, for He has given me His Holy Spirit to abide with me for ever. Sweet is the cool twilight, when every star seems
like the eye of heaven, and the cool wind is as the breath of celestial love.
My Father, my elder Brother, my sweet Comforter, speak now in lovingkindness, for Thou hast opened mine ear and I am not
rebellious.