Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

April 24– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing of birds has come, and the voice of the dove is heard in our land.” 

—Song of Solomon 2:12

Springtime is a sweet time of year! The long and dreary winter helps us to appreciate its pleasant warmth. It is delightful in itself and promises the soon arrival of summer. After periods of depression of spirit, it is delightful to behold again the light of the Sun of Righteousness. Our slumbering graces rise from their lethargy, like the crocus and the daffodil from their beds of earth. God’s peace comes to us, and our hearts begins to sing with the delicious notes of gratitude which far more melodious than the singing of birds.

Now is the time for our souls to seek communion with the one we love. It is time to rise from our natural filthiness and break away from old associations. If we do not hoist the sail when the winds are blowing, we will be especially worthy of blame. Times of refreshing should not leave us unchanged and unimproved. When Jesus himself visits us in tenderness and asks us to arise, can we be so obtuse as to refuse his request? He has himself risen that he may draw us after him. And now, by his Holy Spirit, he has revived us that we may, in newness of life, ascend into heavenly places to commune with him.

Let the wintry state of sin and spiritual lethargy be gone; it has brought us enough of coldness and indifference. Now that springtime is here, let our sap rise with vitality and our branch blossom with high resolve. O Lord, if it is not springtime in my chilly heart, I pray that you will make it so, for I am tired of living at a distance from you. O, long and dreary winter, come to an end! Come, Holy Spirit, and renew my soul! Make me alive! Restore me! Have mercy on me! This very night I earnestly beg you, Lord, to take pity upon your servant, and send me a happy revival of spiritual life! [M&E]