Morning & Evening – June 27 | Spurgeon Devotional

Morning

Scripture

> But Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. Plead for me.” > > — Exodus 8:28 (ESV)

Devotional

This is a crafty word from the lip of the arch-tyrant Pharaoh. If the poor bondaged Israelites must needs go out of Egypt, then he bargains with them that it shall not be very far away; not too far for them to escape the terror of his arms, and the observation of his spies. After the same fashion, the world loves not the nonconformity of nonconformity, or the dissidence of dissent; it would have us be more charitable and not carry matters with too severe a hand. Death to the world, and burial with Christ, are experiences which carnal minds treat with ridicule, and hence the ordinance which sets them forth is almost universally neglected, and even condemned. Worldly wisdom recommends the path of compromise, and talks of “moderation.” According to this carnal policy, purity is admitted to be very desirable, but we are warned against being too precise; truth is of course to be followed, but error is not to be severely denounced. “Yes,” says the world, “be spiritually minded by all means, but do not deny yourself a little gay society, an occasional ball, and a Christmas visit to a theatre. What’s the good of crying down a thing when it is so fashionable, and everybody does it?” Multitudes of professors yield to this cunning advice, to their own eternal ruin. If we would follow the Lord wholly, we must go right away into the wilderness of separation, and leave the Egypt of the carnal world behind us. We must leave its maxims, its pleasures, and its religion too, and go far away to the place where the Lord calls his sanctified ones. When the town is on fire, our house cannot be too far from the flames. When the plague is abroad, a man cannot be too far from its haunts. The further from a viper the better, and the further from worldly conformity the better. To all true believers let the trumpet-call be sounded, “Come ye out from among them, be ye separate.”

Reflection

Spurgeon exposes Pharaoh’s crafty compromise: the world will let the believer have some religion and some separation, but “only you must not go very far away.” It praises “moderation” and warns against being too precise. Many professors are ruined by yielding to the suggestion that a little worldly society or a measure of conformity is harmless. The call of God, however, is to go far away into the wilderness of separation. We must leave behind the maxims, pleasures, and religion of Egypt. When the town is on fire or the plague is abroad, distance is not a matter of preference but of survival. What we might miss is that the temptation to stay “not very far” is often dressed in the language of charity and balance. True following of the Lord wholly requires decisive and thorough separation.

Goad

Are you negotiating with the world for a religion that does not take you “very far away,” or have you heard the trumpet call to come out and be separate? What would it look like to leave the maxims, pleasures, and religion of this present age decisively behind?

Evening

Scripture

> Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. > > — 1 Corinthians 7:20 (ESV)

Devotional

Some persons have the foolish notion that the only way in which they can live for God is by becoming ministers, missionaries, or Bible women. Alas! how many would be shut out from any opportunity of magnifying the Most High if this were the case. Beloved, it is not office, it is earnestness; it is not position, it is grace which will enable us to glorify God. God is most surely glorified in that cobbler’s stall, where the godly worker, as he plies the awl, sings of the Saviour’s love, aye, glorified far more than in many a prebendal stall where official religiousness performs its scanty duties. The name of Jesus is glorified by the poor unlearned carter as he drives his horse, and blesses his God, or speaks to his fellow labourer by the roadside, as much as by the popular divine who, throughout the country, like Boanerges, is thundering out the gospel. God is glorified by our serving him in our proper vocations. Take care, dear reader, that you do not forsake the path of duty by leaving your occupation, and take care you do not dishonour your profession while in it. Think little of yourselves, but do not think too little of your callings. Every lawful trade may be sanctified by the gospel to noblest ends. Turn to the Bible, and you will find the most menial forms of labour connected either with most daring deeds of faith, or with persons whose lives have been illustrious for holiness. Therefore be not discontented with your calling. Whatever God has made your position, or your work, abide in that, unless you are quite sure that he calls you to something else. Let your first care be to glorify God to the utmost of your power where you are. Fill your present sphere to his praise, and if he needs you in another he will show it you. This evening lay aside vexatious ambition, and embrace peaceful content.

Reflection

Spurgeon corrects the mistaken idea that only those in “full-time ministry” can truly live for God. God is glorified in the cobbler’s stall, the carter’s seat, and every lawful calling when it is done with earnestness and grace. It is not the position but the spirit in which we serve that matters. The Bible itself connects the most menial labor with great acts of faith and lives of notable holiness. We are not to be discontented with our calling or think too little of it. Our first care is to glorify God to the utmost where we are. If he wants us elsewhere, he will make it clear. What we might miss is that peaceful content in our present sphere is itself an act of faith and worship. Vexatious ambition can distract us from filling the sphere God has currently assigned us to his praise.

Goad

Are you secretly despising or being discontented with the calling and position God has given you, imagining that only a different role would allow you to glorify him fully? What would it look like today to fill your present sphere to his praise with earnestness and grace, laying aside vexatious ambition?

Tie-In

The morning calls us to decisive separation from the world’s compromises and half-measures. The evening calls us to faithful contentment and diligent service in the ordinary calling where God has placed us. Both are expressions of wholehearted devotion: one refuses to stay “not very far away” from the world; the other refuses to despise the place where God has set us to glorify him. The same Lord who calls us out of Egypt also calls us to serve him faithfully in the wilderness of our current vocation.

Closing

Spurgeon’s classic text with AI-assisted reflection and formatting to maintain daily consistency and reach. If these words have stirred something in your heart today, we invite you to sit with it. Share how God met you in the comments or reach out to us. As we build out the deeper tables of Milk, Solid Food, and Meat for every stage of the journey, know that you are welcome here. NewGrapes Ministries Making disciples, not pew-fillers. Soli Deo Gloria.