Spurgeon: April PM
* 04/22/PM
"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night."
--Psalm 91:5
What is this terror? It may be the cry of fire, or the noise
of thieves, or fancied appearances, or the shriek of sudden
sickness or death. We live in the world of death and sorrow, we
may therefore look for ills as well in the night-watches as
beneath the glare of he broiling sun. Nor should this alarm us,
for be the terror what it may, the promise is that the believer
shall not be afraid. Why should he? Let us put it more closely,
why should we? God our Father is here, and will be here all
through the lonely hours; He is an almighty Watcher, a sleepless
Guardian, a faithful Friend. Nothing can happen without His
direction, for even hell itself is under His control. Darkness
is not dark to Him. He has promised to be a wall of fire around
His people--and who can break through such a barrier? Worldlings
may well be afraid, for they have an angry God above them, a
guilty conscience within them, and a yawning hell beneath them;
but we who rest in Jesus are saved from all these through rich
mercy. If we give way to foolish fear we shall dishonour our
profession, and lead others to doubt the reality of godliness.
We ought to be afraid of being afraid, lest we should vex the
Holy Spirit by foolish distrust. Down, then, ye dismal
forebodings and groundless apprehensions, God has not forgotten
to be gracious, nor shut up His tender mercies, it may be night
in the soul, but there need be no terror, for the God of love
changes not. Children of light may walk in darkness, but they
are not therefore cast away, nay, they are now enabled to prove
their adoption by trusting in their heavenly Father as
hypocrites cannot do.
"Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from Thee;
Thou art He, who, never weary,
Watchest where Thy people be."