Evening, January 6
Go To Morning Reading
“Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening.”
Ezekiel 33:22
In the way of judgment this may be the case, and, if so, be it mine to consider the reason
of such a visitation, and bear the rod and him that hath appointed
it. I am not the only one who is chastened in the night season; let
me cheerfully submit to the affliction, and carefully endeavour to
be profited thereby. But the hand of the Lord may also be felt in
another manner, strengthening the soul and lifting the spirit upward
towards eternal things. O that I may in this sense feel the Lord dealing
with me! A sense of the divine presence and indwelling bears the soul
towards heaven as upon the wings of eagles. At such times we are full
to the brim with spiritual joy, and forget the cares and sorrows of
earth; the invisible is near, and the visible loses its power over
us; servant-body waits at the foot of the hill, and the master-spirit
worships upon the summit in the presence of the Lord. O that a hallowed
season of divine communion may be vouchsafed to me this evening! The
Lord knows that I need it very greatly. My graces languish, my corruptions
rage, my faith is weak, my devotion is cold; all these are reasons
why his healing hand should be laid upon me. His hand can cool the
heat of my burning brow, and stay the tumult of my palpitating heart.
That glorious right hand which moulded the world can new-create my
mind; the unwearied hand which bears the earth’s huge pillars up can sustain my spirit; the loving hand which incloses
all the saints can cherish me; and the mighty hand which breaketh
in pieces the enemy can subdue my sins. Why should I not feel that
hand touching me this evening? Come, my soul, address thy God with
the potent plea, that Jesus’ hands were pierced for thy redemption, and thou shalt surely feel
that same hand upon thee which once touched Daniel and set him upon
his knees that he might see visions of God.