Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

 January 20– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, Revised and Edited by W. C. Neff

“Turn my eyes away from beholding vanity, and make me alive in your way.” 

—Psalm 119:37

How much we need to pray this prayer today. There are many kinds of vanity. There is the hat of bells worn by the court jester, the hollow laughter of the world, the dance and music of the sensuous, and the cup of the drunkard.  Everyone knows these things are empty, and those who do them wear their proper names and titles.

Far more treacherous are those equally vain things– like the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. A man may live for vanity as much by working in the bank as by attending the theatre. If he spends his life amassing wealth, he passes his days in emptiness. Unless we follow Christ and make our God the great object of life, we only differ in appearance from the most frivolous.

But the prayer continues. “Make me alive in Your way.” The Psalmist confesses that he is dull and lazy— indeed, dead in himself.  Perhaps, dear reader, you feel the same. We are so sluggish that the best motives cannot move us apart from the Lord himself. “What!” you say. “Will not thoughts of hell move me? Can I think of sinners perishing, and yet not be awakened? Won’t Heaven move me? Can I think of the reward that awaits the righteous and yet be cold? Can I think of dying and standing before my God and yet be slothful in my Master’s service? Will not Christ’s love constrain me? Can I think of his wounds on the cross and not be stirred with fervency and zeal?” Yes, it seems so!

We must learn that no mere consideration can give us any zeal, but God Himself must do it! That’s why we cry out to God, “Lord, make me alive!” The Psalmist pleads. His body and his soul unite in prayer. “Turn away my eyes,” says the body; “Make me alive!” cries the soul. This is a fit prayer for every day. [M&E]