Morning & Evening – June 22 | Spurgeon Devotional

Morning

Scripture

> It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
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> — Zechariah 6:13 (ESV)

Devotional

Christ himself is the builder of his spiritual temple, and he has built it on the mountains of his unchangeable affection, his omnipotent grace, and his infallible truthfulness. But as it was in Solomon’s temple, so in this; the materials need making ready. There are the “Cedars of Lebanon,” but they are not framed for the building; they are not cut down, and shaped, and made into those planks of cedar, whose odoriferous beauty shall make glad the courts of the Lord’s house in Paradise. There are also the rough stones still in the quarry, they must be hewn thence, and squared. All this is Christ’s own work. Each individual believer is being prepared, and polished, and made ready for his place in the temple; but Christ’s own hand performs the preparation-work. Afflictions cannot sanctify, excepting as they are used by him to this end. Our prayers and efforts cannot make us ready for heaven, apart from the hand of Jesus, who fashioneth our hearts aright.

As in the building of Solomon’s temple, “there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron, heard in the house,” because all was brought perfectly ready for the exact spot it was to occupy—so is it with the temple which Jesus builds; the making ready is all done on earth. When we reach heaven, there will be no sanctifying us there, no squaring us with affliction, no planing us with suffering. No, we must be made meet here—all that Christ will do beforehand; and when he has done it, we shall be ferried by a loving hand across the stream of death, and brought to the heavenly Jerusalem, to abide as eternal pillars in the temple of our Lord.

“Beneath his eye and care, The edifice shall rise, Majestic, strong, and fair, And shine above the skies.”

Reflection

Spurgeon shows that Christ is the master builder of His spiritual temple. The “materials” — every individual believer — must be prepared and made ready by Christ Himself. Just as Solomon’s temple was assembled in complete silence because every stone and beam had already been perfectly shaped off-site, so the work of fitting believers for their eternal place is done here on earth under the direct hand of Jesus. Afflictions and trials are not random; they are the tools Christ uses to hew, square, and polish us. Our own efforts and prayers cannot complete this preparation apart from Him.

What we might miss is the profound comfort in the “no noise” reality. The quiet, often unseen work of grace is Christ’s alone. When we arrive in the heavenly Jerusalem, we will already be perfectly fitted for our place — no further shaping needed. All the preparation happens in this life through His sovereign, loving hand.

Goad

Am I resisting or yielding to the quiet preparation work of Christ in my life? What would it look like to trust that every affliction and process is His own tool for shaping me into a living stone perfectly fitted for His temple?

Evening

Scripture

> This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
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> — Hebrews 12:27 (ESV)

Devotional

We have many things in our possession at the present moment which can be shaken, and it ill becomes a Christian man to set much store by them, for there is nothing stable beneath these rolling skies; change is written upon all things. Yet, we have certain “things which cannot be shaken,” and I invite you this evening to think of them, that if the things which can be shaken should all be taken away, you may derive real comfort from the things that cannot be shaken, which will remain. Whatever your losses have been, or may be, you enjoy present salvation. You are standing at the foot of his cross, trusting alone in the merit of Jesus’ precious blood, and no rise or fall of the markets can interfere with your salvation in him; no breaking of banks, no failures and bankruptcies can touch that. Then you are a child of God this evening. God is your Father. No change of circumstances can ever rob you of that. Although by losses brought to poverty, and stripped bare, you can say, “He is my Father still. In my Father’s house are many mansions; therefore will I not be troubled.” You have another permanent blessing, namely, the love of Jesus Christ. He who is God and Man loves you with all the strength of his affectionate nature—nothing can affect that. The fig tree may not blossom, and the flocks may cease from the field, it matters not to the man who can sing, “My Beloved is mine, and I am his.” Our best portion and richest heritage we cannot lose. Whatever troubles come, let us play the man; let us show that we are not such little children as to be cast down by what may happen in this poor fleeting state of time. Our country is Immanuel’s land, our hope is above the sky, and therefore, calm as the summer’s ocean; we will see the wreck of everything earthborn, and yet rejoice in the God of our salvation.

Reflection

Spurgeon contrasts the many things that can and will be shaken — possessions, circumstances, earthly securities — with the unshakable realities that belong to the believer. Present salvation through the blood of Christ cannot be touched by economic collapse or personal loss. Our identity as children of God remains secure no matter what is stripped away. Most beautifully, the love of Jesus Christ is permanent; nothing can affect it. These truths allow the Christian to face the removal of everything earthborn with calm confidence and joy in the God of our salvation.

What we might miss is the call to loosen our grip on the temporary. Setting “much store” by shakable things is unbecoming for a Christian because change is written on all things under these skies. Our deepest comfort must be anchored in what cannot be shaken.

Goad

When the things I have set much store by begin to shake or are taken away, do I still find my deepest comfort and joy in the unshakeable realities of my salvation, my sonship, and the unchanging love of Jesus — or do I become cast down like a little child? What would it look like to live today as one whose country is Immanuel’s land and whose hope is above the sky?

Tie-In

The morning reveals Christ as the sovereign builder who quietly prepares each of us as living stones for His eternal temple. The evening assures us that even when every shakable thing around us is removed, the core realities of our salvation and the love of our Redeemer remain. Both point to the same truth: our security and purpose are found not in what can be shaken but in the unshakeable work and person of Christ. This is the Milk that steadies the simplest believer. For those ready for Solid Food and Meat, these truths open into deeper reflection on the sovereignty of Christ in sanctification and the permanence of the new covenant realities. Resources in the deeper tables on the site explore how the Builder’s quiet work and the unshakable foundation together shape a life of enduring hope and worship.

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.