Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

March 27– Morning

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

“All the disciples left him and fled.” 

—Matt 25:56

 

Notice that Jesus never deserted his disciples, but they left him like cowards at the very beginning of his sufferings. This is but one example of the weakness of all believers who are only sheep that run when the wolf comes. The disciples had all been warned of the danger and had promised to die rather than leave their Master, and yet they were seized with sudden panic and took to their heels.

It may be that I at the opening of this day have prepared my mind to bear a trial for the Lord’s sake, and I may think that I will be faithful to him. But I need to guard myself carefully unless, having the same evil heart of unbelief, I should depart from my Lord as the apostles did. It is one thing to promise and quite another to perform. It would have been to their eternal honor to have stood at Jesus’ side manfully, but they ran away from honor. May I be kept from imitating them!

Thankfully, divine grace can make the coward brave. These very apostles who were as timid as rabbits grew to be bold as lions after the Spirit had descended upon them, and in the same way the Holy Spirit can make my timid spirit brave to confess my Lord and witness for his truth. What anguish must have filled the Savior as he saw his friends so faithless! I don’t want to be faithless too! Keep me, O blessed Spirit, from an end so shameful. [M&E]