Evening, March 24
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Luke 10:21
"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit."
Luke 10:21
The Saviour was "a man of sorrows," but every thoughtful mind has
discovered the fact that down deep in his innermost soul he carried an
inexhaustible treasury of refined and 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 fellows." His vast benevolence must, from the very
nature of things, have afforded him the deepest possible delight, for
benevolence is joy. There were a few remarkable seasons when this joy
manifested itself. "At that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth." Christ had his songs,
though it was night with him; though his face was marred, and his
countenance had lost the lustre of earthly happiness, yet sometimes it
was lit up with a matchless splendour of unparalleled satisfaction, as
he thought upon the recompense of the reward, and in the midst of the
congregation sang his praise unto God. In this, the Lord Jesus is a
blessed picture of his church on earth. At this hour the church expects
to walk in sympathy with her Lord along a thorny road; through much
tribulation she is forcing her way to the crown. To bear the cross is
her office, and to be scorned and counted an alien by her mother's
children 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,
and oil, and corn, hidden in the midst of our Jerusalem, upon which the
saints of God are evermore sustained and nurtured; and sometimes, as in
our Saviour's case, we have our seasons of intense delight, for "There
is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of our God."
Exiles though we be, we rejoice in our King; yea, in him we exceedingly
rejoice, while in his name we set up our banners.