Charles Haddon Spurgeon's Evening Devotional For Tuesday October 23, 2018 |
Evening Time: 2:03 PM PST
"Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." --Luke 22:46
When is the Christian most liable to sleep? Is it not when his temporal
circumstances are prosperous? Have you not found it so? When you had daily
troubles to take to the throne of grace, were you not more wakeful than you are
now? Easy roads make sleepy travellers. Another dangerous time is when all
goes pleasantly in spiritual matters. Christian went not to sleep when lions
were in the way, or when he was wading through the river, or when fighting with
Apollyon, but when he had climbed half way up the Hill Difficulty, and came to a
delightful arbour, he sat down, and forthwith fell asleep, to his great sorrow
and loss. The enchanted ground is a place of balmy breezes, laden with fragrant
odours and soft influences, all tending to lull pilgrims to sleep. Remember
Bunyan's description: "Then they came to an arbour, warm, and promising much
refreshing to the weary pilgrims; for it was finely wrought above head,
beautified with greens, and furnished with benches and settles. It had also in
it a soft couch, where the weary might lean." "The arbour was called the
Slothful's Friend, and was made on purpose to allure, if it might be, some of
the pilgrims to take up their rest there when weary." Depend upon it, it is in
easy places that men shut their eyes and wander into the dreamy land of
forgetfulness. Old Erskine wisely remarked, "I like a roaring devil better than
a sleeping devil." There is no temptation half so dangerous as not being
tempted. The distressed soul does not sleep; it is after we enter into peaceful
confidence and full assurance that we are in danger of slumbering. The disciples
fell asleep after they had seen Jesus transfigured on the mountain top. Take
heed, joyous Christian, good frames are near neighbours to temptations: be as
happy as you will, only be watchful.
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