Morning & Evening Devotional Reading

January 5–Morning

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

“And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.”

—Genesis 1:4

Light might well be good for the very reason that it sprang from the goodness of God who said, “Let there be light.” We who enjoy it should be more grateful for it than we are and see more of God in it and by it.

Physical light is wonderful, but the light of the Gospel is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal things and ministers to our immortal natures. When the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual light and opens our eyes to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we begin to see sin in its true colors and ourselves in our true condition; we see everything more from God’s perspective.

O Lord, thank you for the light you give, and give us more of yourself, the true light.

Now whenever there is something good in the world, a division becomes necessary. Light and darkness have nothing in common; God has divided them, so we should never confuse them. Sons of light must not have fellowship with deeds, doctrines, or deceits of darkness. The children of the day must be sober, honest, and bold in their Lord’s work, leaving the works of darkness to those who will live in it forever. Our Churches should divide the light from the darkness through discipline, and we should by our distinct separation from the world do the same. In every area of life, we must discern between the precious and the vile and maintain the great distinction that the Lord made upon the world’s first day.

O Lord Jesus, be our light today, for your light is the light of men. [M&E]