Jesus Biding Himself

Message from Charles Spurgeon - Jesus Biding Himself -In proportion as the Master’s presence is delightful, His absence is mournful. Dark is the night which is caused by the setting of such a sun. No blow of Providence can ever wound so sorely as this. A blasted crop is as nothing compared with an absent Redeemer. Yea, sickness and the approach of death are preferable to the departure of Emmanuel. Skin for skin, yes, all that a man hath will he give for his life, and more than that would the sincere disciple be prepared to surrender for a renewal of his Lord’s presence. “Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; when His candle shined upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness!” Such will be the sorrowful complaint of the spirit when groping its way through the darkness of desertion. “God’s hiding Himself, though but for trial’s sake, will so trouble a Christian that he will quickly be a burden to himself, and fear round about, as it is said of Pashur.81 It will make him weary of the night and weary of the day. Weary of his own house and weary of God’s house. Weary of mirth and account it madness. Weary of riches and honors. Yea, if it continue long, it will make him weary of life itself and wish for death.”81a The effect is always deplorable during the time of its duration, but the cause of it is not always the same. There are divers reasons for apparent desertions. We will enter upon that interesting subject in the next chapter and in the present meditation we shall chiefly consider the ill-effects of the absence of Christ.