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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the

darkness.” / Genesis 1:4

Light might well be good since it sprang from that fiat of goodness, “Let

there be light.” We who enjoy it should be more grateful for it than we are,

and see more of God in it and by it. Light physical is said by Solomon to be

sweet, but gospel light is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal

things, and ministers to our immortal natures. When the Holy Spirit gives us

spiritual light, and opens our eyes to behold the glory of God in the face of

Jesus Christ, we behold sin in its true colours, and ourselves in our real

position; we see the Most Holy God as he reveals himself, the plan of mercy as

he propounds it, and the world to come as the Word describes it. Spiritual

light has many beams and prismatic colours, but whether they be knowledge,

joy, holiness, or life, all are divinely good. If the light received be thus

good, what must the essential light be, and how glorious must be the place

where he reveals himself. O Lord, since light is so good, give us more of it,

and more of thyself, the true light.

No sooner is there a good thing in the world, than a division is necessary.

Light and darkness have no communion; God has divided them, let us not

confound them. Sons of light must not have fellowship with deeds, doctrines,

or deceits of darkness. The children of the day must be sober, honest, and

bold in their Lord’s work, leaving the works of darkness to those who shall

dwell in it forever. Our Churches should by discipline divide the light from

the darkness, and we should by our distinct separation from the world do the

same. In judgment, in action, in hearing, in teaching, in association, we must

discern between the precious and the vile, and maintain the great distinction

which the Lord made upon the world’s first day. O Lord Jesus, be thou our

light throughout the whole of this day, for thy light is the light of men.

 

Evening  “And God saw the light.” / Genesis 1:4

This morning we noticed the goodness of the light, and the Lord’s dividing it

from the darkness, we now note the special eye which the Lord had for the

light. “God saw the light”–he looked at it with complacency, gazed upon it

with pleasure, saw that it “was good.” If the Lord has given you light, dear

reader, he looks on that light with peculiar interest; for not only is it dear

to him as his own handiwork, but because it is like himself, for “He is

light.” Pleasant it is to the believer to know that God’s eye is thus tenderly

observant of that work of grace which he has begun. He never loses sight of

the treasure which he has placed in our earthen vessels. Sometimes we cannot

see the light, but God always sees the light, and that is much better than our

seeing it. Better for the judge to see my innocence than for me to think I see

it. It is very comfortable for me to know that I am one of God’s people–but

whether I know it or not, if the Lord knows it, I am still safe. This is the

foundation, “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” You may be sighing and

groaning because of inbred sin, and mourning over your darkness, yet the Lord

sees “light” in your heart, for he has put it there, and all the cloudiness

and gloom of your soul cannot conceal your light from his gracious eye. You

may have sunk low in despondency, and even despair; but if your soul has any

longing towards Christ, and if you are seeking to rest in his finished work,

God sees the “light.” He not only sees it, but he also preserves it in you.

“I, the Lord, do keep it.” This is a precious thought to those who, after

anxious watching and guarding of themselves, feel their own powerlessness to

do so. The light thus preserved by his grace, he will one day develop into the

splendour of noonday, and the fulness of glory. The light within is the dawn

of the eternal day.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” / 1 Samuel 7:12

The word “hitherto” seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the past.

Twenty years or seventy, and yet, “hitherto the Lord hath helped!” Through

poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through health, at home, abroad, on

the land, on the sea, in honour, in dishonour, in perplexity, in joy, in

trial, in triumph, in prayer, in temptation, “hitherto hath the Lord helped

us!” We delight to look down a long avenue of trees. It is delightful to gaze

from end to end of the long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with its

branching pillars and its arches of leaves; even so look down the long aisles

of your years, at the green boughs of mercy overhead, and the strong pillars

of lovingkindness and faithfulness which bear up your joys. Are there no birds

in yonder branches singing? Surely there must be many, and they all sing of

mercy received “hitherto.”

But the word also points forward. For when a man gets up to a certain mark and

writes “hitherto,” he is not yet at the end, there is still a distance to be

traversed. More trials, more joys; more temptations, more triumphs; more

prayers, more answers; more toils, more strength; more fights, more victories;

and then come sickness, old age, disease, death. Is it over now? No! there is

more yet-awakening in Jesus’ likeness, thrones, harps, songs, psalms, white

raiment, the face of Jesus, the society of saints, the glory of God, the

fulness of eternity, the infinity of bliss. O be of good courage, believer,

and with grateful confidence raise thy “Ebenezer,” for–

He who hath helped thee hitherto

Will help thee all thy journey through.

When read in heaven’s light how glorious and marvellous a prospect will thy

“hitherto” unfold to thy grateful eye!

 

Evening  “What think ye of Christ?” / Matthew 22:42

The great test of your soul’s health is, What think you of Christ? Is he to

you “fairer than the children of men”–“the chief among ten thousand”–the

“altogether lovely”? Wherever Christ is thus esteemed, all the faculties of

the spiritual man exercise themselves with energy. I will judge of your piety

by this barometer: does Christ stand high or low with you? If you have thought

little of Christ, if you have been content to live without his presence, if

you have cared little for his honour, if you have been neglectful of his laws,

then I know that your soul is sick–God grant that it may not be sick unto

death! But if the first thought of your spirit has been, how can I honour

Jesus? If the daily desire of your soul has been, “O that I knew where I might

find him!” I tell you that you may have a thousand infirmities, and even

scarcely know whether you are a child of God at all, and yet I am persuaded,

beyond a doubt, that you are safe, since Jesus is great in your esteem. I care

not for thy rags, what thinkest thou of his royal apparel? I care not for thy

wounds, though they bleed in torrents, what thinkest thou of his wounds? are

they like glittering rubies in thine esteem? I think none the less of thee,

though thou liest like Lazarus on the dunghill, and the dogs do lick thee–I

judge thee not by thy poverty: what thinkest thou of the King in his beauty?

Has he a glorious high throne in thy heart? Wouldest thou set him higher if

thou couldest? Wouldest thou be willing to die if thou couldest but add

another trumpet to the strain which proclaims his praise? Ah! then it is well

with thee. Whatever thou mayest think of thyself, if Christ be great to thee,

thou shalt be with him ere long.

“Though all the world my choice deride,

Yet Jesus shall my portion be;

For I am pleased with none beside,

The fairest of the fair is he”