Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

May 3– Evening

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

“A very present help.” 

—Psalm 46:1

Covenant blessings are not meant to be studied only but to be appropriated. Our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use. Believer, do you make use of Christ as you ought to? When you are in trouble, do you not tell him of your grief? Doesn’t he have a sympathizing heart, and isn’t he able to comfort and relieve you? Instead, you go around to all your friends and tell them everything. Why not go to your Best Friend and lean upon the chest of your Lord?

Are you burdened with today’s sins? There is a fountain filled with blood. Use it, dear saint, use it! Has a sense of guilt returned to you? The pardoning grace of Jesus may be proved again and again, so come to him at once for cleansing. Do you deplore your weakness? He is your strength, so lean upon him! Do you feel ashamed that you don’t have proper clothing to wear? Then come, and put on the robe of Jesus’ righteousness. Don’t stand there looking at it, but wear it! Strip off your own righteousness and put on the pure white linen garment, for it was meant to be worn.

Do you feel sick? Pull the night-bell of prayer and call upon the Great Physician! He will give you the medicines you need.  Are you poor? Yes! But you have a relative who has great wealth. Will you not go to him and ask him to give of his abundance—even when he has promised that you will be a joint heir with him and that all he owns is yours?

There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for his people to make him into a show-thing and not to use him in daily living. He loves to be employed by us. The more burdens we put on his shoulders, the more precious will he be to us. O, may God be a very present help to you this evening! [M&E]