Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

July 24– Evening

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

“[The Lord’s] camp of soldiers is very great.”

—Joel 2:11

Consider, my soul, the mightiness of the Lord who is your glory and defense. He is the Great Warrior.  Jehovah is his name. All the forces of heaven are at his command; legions wait at his door; cherubim and seraphim, principalities and powers, are all attentive to his will. If our eyes were not blinded by sinful flesh, we would see flaming horses and chariots of fire all around us.

The powers of nature are all subject to the absolute control of the Creator– stormy wind and tempest, lightning and rain, and snow and hail. The soft dew and the cheering sunshine also come and go at his decree. He loosens the belt of Orion; He causes the stars of heaven to shine. Jehovah’s armies are spread out over the earth, sea, and sky; their barracks are in the depths of the earth. Space is God’s camping ground, light is his banner, and flaming fire is his sword. When He goes to war, famine ravages the land, pestilence strikes the nations, hurricanes sweep over the seas, and earthquakes make the world itself tremble.

The creatures of nature all live under his dominion. From the great fish which swallowed the prophet, down to the flies which plagued the fields of Egypt, all are his servants. Even the worm, the caterpillar, and the ant are squadrons in his great army, for his camp of soldiers is very great.

My soul, see to it that you are at peace with this mighty King; indeed, more than that! Be sure to enlist under his banner, for to fight against him is madness and to serve him is glory. If I am not already enlisted, then let me go to Him before I sleep and beg to be accepted through his merits. And if I am already a soldier of the cross, let me be of good courage; for the enemy is powerless compared with my Lord whose camp is very great.” [M&E]