Morning, September 24
“For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way:
because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him;
but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.”
Ezra 8:22
Charles Spurgeon
A
convoy on many accounts would have been desirable for the pilgrim band,
but a holy shame-facedness would not allow Ezra to seek one. He feared
lest the heathen king should think his professions of faith in God to be
mere hypocrisy, or imagine that the God of Israel was not able to
preserve his own worshippers. He could not bring his mind to lean on an
arm of flesh in a matter so evidently of the Lord, and therefore the
caravan set out with no visible protection, guarded by him who is the
sword and shield of his people. It is to be feared that few believers
feel this holy jealousy for God; even those who in a measure walk by
faith, occasionally mar the lustre of their life by craving aid from
man. It is a most blessed thing to have no props and no buttresses, but
to stand upright on the Rock of Ages, upheld by the Lord alone. Would
any believers seek state endowments for their Church, if they remembered
that the Lord is dishonoured by their asking Caesar’s aid? as if the
Lord could not supply the needs of his own cause! Should we run so
hastily to friends and relations for assistance, if we remembered that
the Lord is magnified by our implicit reliance upon his solitary arm? My
soul, wait thou only upon God. “But,” says one, “are not means to be
used?” Assuredly they are; but our fault seldom lies in their neglect:
far more frequently it springs out of foolishly believing in them
instead of believing in God. Few run too far in neglecting the
creature’s arm; but very many sin greatly in making too much of it.
Learn, dear reader, to glorify the Lord by leaving means untried, if by
using them thou wouldst dishonour the name of the Lord.
September 24th
The “go” of preparation
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there thou rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Matthew 5:23, 24
Oswald Chambers
It
is easy to imagine that we shall get to a place where we are complete
and ready, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished, it is a process
steadily maintained. It is dangerous to get into a settled state of
experience. It is preparation and preparation.
The
sense of sacrifice appeals readily to a young Christian. Humanly
speaking, the one thing that attracts to Jesus Christ is our sense of
the heroic, and the scrutiny of Our Lord’s words suddenly brings this
tide of enthusiasm to the test. “First be reconciled to thy brother.”
The “go” of preparation is to let the word of God scrutinize. The sense
of heroic sacrifice is not good enough. The thing the Holy Spirit is
detecting in you is the disposition that will never work in His service.
No one but God can detect that disposition in you. Have you anything to
hide from God? If you have, then let God search you with His light. If
there is sin, confess it, not admit it. Are you willing to obey your Lord and Master, whatever the humiliation to your right to yourself may be?
Never
discard a conviction. If it is important enough for the Spirit of God
to have brought it to your mind, it is that thing He is detecting. You
were looking for a great thing to give up. God is telling you of some
tiny thing; but at the back of it there lies the central citadel of
obstinacy: ‘I will not give up my right to myself’—the thing God intends
you to give up if ever you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Evening, September 24
“I sleep, but my heart waketh.”
Song of Solomon 5:2
Charles Spurgeon
Paradoxes
abound in Christian experience, and here is one—the spouse was asleep,
and yet she was awake. He only can read the believer’s riddle who has
ploughed with the heifer of his experience. The two points in this
evening’s text are—a mournful sleepiness and a hopeful wakefulness. I sleep.
Through sin that dwelleth in us we may become lax in holy duties,
slothful in religious exercises, dull in spiritual joys, and altogether
supine and careless. This is a shameful state for one in whom the
quickening Spirit dwells; and it is dangerous to the highest degree.
Even wise virgins sometimes slumber, but it is high time for all to
shake off the bands of sloth. It is to be feared that many believers
lose their strength as Samson lost his locks, while sleeping on the lap
of carnal security. With a perishing world around us, to sleep is cruel;
with eternity so near at hand, it is madness. Yet we are none of us so
much awake as we should be; a few thunder-claps would do us all good,
and it may be, unless we soon bestir ourselves, we shall have them in
the form of war, or pestilence, or personal bereavements and losses. O
that we may leave for ever the couch of fleshly ease, and go forth with
flaming torches to meet the coming Bridegroom! My heart waketh.
This is a happy sign. Life is not extinct, though sadly smothered. When
our renewed heart struggles against our natural heaviness, we should be
grateful to sovereign grace for keeping a little vitality within the
body of this death. Jesus will hear our hearts, will help our hearts,
will visit our hearts; for the voice of the wakeful heart is really the
voice of our Beloved, saying, “Open to me.” Holy zeal will surely unbar
the door.
“Oh lovely attitude! He stands
With melting heart and laden hands;
My soul forsakes her every sin;
And lets the heavenly stranger in.”
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