Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

April 8– Evening

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

“I will fear no evil, because you are with me.” 

—Psalm 23:4

How independent of outward circumstances the Holy Spirit can make the Christian! What a bright light may shine within us when only darkness is all around us! How firm, how happy, how peaceful we may be when the world sways this way and that and the very foundations of the earth are shaken! Even death itself, with all its terrible effects, has no power to suspend the music of a Christian’s heart but, rather, makes that music become more sweet, more clear, more heavenly. The last thing death can do to us is to let our earthly song of praise melt into the heavenly chorus— our temporal joy into eternal bliss!

Let us have confidence, then, in the blessed Spirit’s power to comfort us. Dear reader, are you facing poverty? Fear not; the divine Spirit can give you more than you need or want— greater than the rich have in all their abundance. You don’t know all the joys that may be stored up for you in the humble cottage around which grace will plant the roses of a contented spirit.

Are you becoming aware of your aging and declining body? Do you expect to suffer nights of suffering and days of pain? Don’t be sad! That bed may become a throne to you. Each pang that shoots through your body may be a refining fire to consume your impurities— a beam of glory to light up the secret parts of your soul. Are your eyes growing dim? Jesus will be your light. Do your ears fail you? Jesus’ name will be your soul’s best music, and his person your dearest delight.

Socrates used to say, “Philosophers can be happy without music.” Perhaps. But Christians can be happier than philosophers when all outward causes of rejoicing are withdrawn. In you, my God, my heart will triumph regardless of what troubles may come. O blessed Spirit, my heart will be exceeding glad, though all things should fail me here below. [M&E]