Evening, February 5
Go To Morning Reading
“At that time Jesus answered.”
Matthew 11:25
This is a singular way in which to commence a verse—“At that time Jesus answered.” If you will look at the context you will not perceive that any person
had asked him a question, or that he was in conversation with any
human being. Yet it is written, “Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father.” When a man answers, he answers a person who has been speaking to
him. Who, then, had spoken to Christ? his Father. Yet there is no
record of it; and this should teach us that Jesus had constant fellowship
with his Father, and that God spake into his heart so often, so continually,
that it was not a circumstance singular enough to be recorded. It
was the habit and life of Jesus to talk with God. Even as Jesus was,
in this world, so are we; let us therefore learn the lesson which
this simple statement concerning him teaches us. May we likewise have
silent fellowship with the Father, so that often we may answer him,
and though the world wotteth not to whom we speak, may we be responding
to that secret voice unheard of any other ear, which our own ear,
opened by the Spirit of God, recognizes with joy. God has spoken to
us, let us speak to God—either to set our seal that God is true and faithful to his promise,
or to confess the sin of which the Spirit of God has convinced us,
or to acknowledge the mercy which God’s providence has given, or to express assent to the great truths which
God the Holy Ghost has opened to our understanding. What a privilege
is intimate communion with the Father of our spirits! It is a secret
hidden from the world, a joy with which even the nearest friend intermeddleth
not. If we would hear the whispers of God’s love, our ear must be purged and fitted to listen to his voice.
This very evening may our hearts be in such a state, that when God
speaks to us, we, like Jesus, may be prepared at once to answer him.