Spurgeon: August PM
* 08/28/PM
"Sing, O barren."
--Isaiah 54:1
Though we have brought forth some fruit unto Christ, and have
a joyful hope that we are "plants of His own right hand
planting," yet there are times when we feel very barren. Prayer
is lifeless, love is cold, faith is weak, each grace in the
garden of our heart languishes and droops. We are like flowers
in the hot sun, requiring the refreshing shower. In such a
condition what are we to do? The text is addressed to us in just
such a state. " Sing, O barren, break forth and cry aloud ." But
what can I sing about? I cannot talk about the present, and even
the past looks full of barrenness. Ah! I can sing of Jesus
Christ. I can talk of visits which the Redeemer has aforetimes
paid to me; or if not of these, I can magnify the great love
wherewith He loved His people when He came from the heights of
heaven for their redemption. I will go to the cross again. Come,
my soul, heavy laden thou wast once, and thou didst lose thy
burden there. Go to Calvary again. Perhaps that very cross
which gave thee life may give thee fruitfulness. What is my
barrenness? It is the platform for His fruit-creating power.
What is my desolation? It is the black setting for the sapphire
of His everlasting love. I will go in poverty, I will go in
helplessness, I will go in all my shame and backsliding, I will
tell Him that I am still His child, and in confidence in His
faithful heart, even I, the barren one, will sing and cry aloud.
Sing, believer, for it will cheer thine own heart, and the
hearts of other desolate ones. Sing on, for now that thou art
really ashamed of being barren, thou wilt be fruitful soon; now
that God makes thee loath to be without fruit He will soon
cover thee with clusters. The experience of our barrenness is
painful, but the Lord's visitations are delightful. A sense of
our own poverty drives us to Christ, and that is where we need
to be, for in Him is our fruit found.