Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

November 14– Evening

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

“Laban said, ‘This isn’t how we do things in our country– to give the younger before the firstborn.'”

—Genesis 29:26

We do not excuse Laban for his dishonesty, but we ought to learn something from the custom which he quoted as his excuse. There are some things which must be taken in order, and if we would win the second we must secure the first. The second may be the more lovely in our eyes, but the customs of the heavenly country must stand, and the elder must be married first.

For instance, many men desire the beautiful and gracious Rachel of joy and peace in believing, but they must first be wedded to the tender-eyed Leah of repentance. Everyone falls in love with happiness, and many would cheerfully serve twice seven years to enjoy it, but according to the rule of the Lord’s Kingdom, the Leah of real holiness must be beloved of our soul before the Rachel of true happiness can be attained. Heaven stands not first but second, and only by persevering to the end can we win a portion in it. The cross must be carried before the crown can be worn. We must follow our Lord in his humiliation, or we will never rest with him in glory.

O, my soul, are you so vain as to think you can break heaven’s rule? Do you hope for reward without labor, or honor without toil? Dismiss the idle expectation and be content to take on the less desirable things for the sake of the sweet love of Jesus which will more than pay you back for them all. In such a spirit, as you labor and suffer, you will find the bitter grows sweet, and hard things become easier. Like Jacob, your years of service will seem unto you but a few days for the love you have for Jesus. And when the dear hour of the wedding feast shall come, all your toils will be as though they had never been; an hour with Jesus will make up for ages of pain and work. [M&E]