Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

 March 24– Evening

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

“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit.” 

—Luke 10:21

The Savior was “a man of sorrows,” but every thoughtful mind discovered the fact that down deep in his innermost soul he carried an inexhaustible treasury of heavenly joy. Of all the human race, there was never a man who had a deeper, purer, or more abiding peace than our Lord Jesus Christ. “He was anointed with the oil of gladness above his companions.”

He was benevolent beyond all others, so we know that he experienced delight beyond all others, for benevolence is joy. There were a few remarkable occasions when he expressed this joy. The Scripture says, “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.” Christ had his songs to sing. Even though it was night with him, though his face was marred and his countenance had lost the luster of earthly happiness, yet sometimes it was lit up with a matchless splendor of unparalleled satisfaction, as he thought upon the reward that was coming to him. That’s why he sang praises to God.

In this, the Lord Jesus is a blessed picture of his church on earth. For a while, the church expects to walk in sympathy with her Lord along a thorny road, passing through much tribulation on her way to the crown. To bear the cross is her office, and to be scorned as a foreigner in this world is her lot. And yet the church has a deep well of joy of which none can drink but her own children. There are stores of wine, oil, and corn hidden in the center of Jerusalem by which the saints of God are sustained and nurtured forevermore. Sometimes, then, as in our Savior’s case, we have our seasons of intense delight, for “There is a river, the streams of which make glad the city of our God.” Though we are exiles in this world, we rejoice in our King and set up our banners in his name. [M&E]