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November 10

Morning

The eternal God is thy refuge. — Deut 33:27

The word refuge may be translated “mansion,” or “abiding-place,” which gives the thought that God is our abode, our home. There is a fullness and sweetness in the metaphor, for dear to our hearts is our home, although it be the humblest cottage, or the scantiest garret; and dearer far—is our blessed God, in whom we live, and move, and have our being.

It is at home that we feel safe—we shut the world out and dwell in quiet security. So when we are with our God we “fear no evil.” He is our shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge.

At home, we take our rest; it is there we find repose after the fatigue and toil of the day. And so our hearts find rest in God, when, wearied with life’s conflict, we turn to Him, and our soul dwells at ease.

At home, also, we let our hearts at liberty; we are not afraid of being misunderstood, nor of our words being misconstrued. So when we are with God—we can commune freely with Him, laying open all our hidden desires; for if the “secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,” the secrets of those who fear Him ought to be, and must be, with their Lord.

Home, too, is the place of our truest and purest happiness and it is in God that our hearts find their deepest delight. We have joy in Him which far surpasses all other joy.

It is also for home that we work and labor. The thought of home, gives strength to bear the daily burden, and quickens the fingers to perform the task; and in this sense we may also say that God is our home. Love to Him strengthens us. We think of Him in the person of His dear Son; and a glimpse of the suffering face of the Redeemer constrains us to labor in His cause. We feel that we must work, for we have brethren yet to be saved, and we have our Father’s heart to make glad by bringing home His wandering sons; we would fill with holy mirth—the sacred family among whom we dwell. Happy are those who have thus the God of Jacob for their refuge!


Evening

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master. — Matt 10:25

No one will dispute this statement, for it would be unfitting for the servant to be exalted above his Master. When our Lord was on earth, what was the treatment He received? Were His claims acknowledged, His instructions followed, His perfections worshiped, by those whom He came to bless? No! “He was despised and rejected of men.” His place was outside the camp! Cross-bearing was His occupation. Did the world yield Him solace and rest? “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” This inhospitable world afforded Him no shelter—it cast Him out and crucified Him!

Such—if you are a follower of Jesus, and maintain a consistent, Christ-like walk and lifestyle—you must expect to be the lot of that part of your spiritual life which, in its outward development, comes under the observation of men. They will treat it as they treated the Savior—they will despise it.

Do not dream that worldlings will admire you, or that the more holy and the more Christ-like you are—the more peaceably people will act towards you. They did not prize the polished gem—how would they value the jewel in the rough? “If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household?” If we were more like Christ—we would be more hated by His enemies. It would be a sad dishonor to a child of God to be the world’s favorite. It is a very bad sign to hear a wicked world clap its hands and shout “Well done!” to the Christian man. He may begin to look to his character, and wonder whether he has not been doing wrong, when the ungodly give him their approbation. Let us be true to our Master, and have no friendship with a blind and base world which scorns and rejects Him. Far be it from us to seek a crown of honor where our Lord found a coronet of thorns! “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you!” John 15:18-19


Morning and Evening - November 10

Public domain content taken from Morning and Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon.


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