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Morning and Evening

May 9, Evening

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field . . . let us see if the vine flourish." — Song of Songs 7:11,12 · KJV

The church was about to take up earnest work and wanted her Lord's company in it. She does not say, "I will go," but "let us go." What blessed working it is when Jesus is at our side! It is the business of God's people to be pruners of God's vines. Like our first parents, we are placed in the garden of the Lord to be useful; so let us go out into the field. Notice that the church, when she is in her right mind, desires to enjoy fellowship with Christ in all her many labors. Some imagine that they cannot serve Christ actively and still have fellowship with Him; they are mistaken. No doubt it is easy to fritter away our inward life in outward activity and end up complaining with the bride, "They made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept"; but there is no reason for that except our own folly and neglect. It is certain that a professing Christian may do nothing at all and grow quite as lifeless in spiritual things as the busiest person. Mary was not praised for sitting still, but for sitting at Jesus' feet. In the same way Christians are not to be praised for neglecting duties on the excuse of having private fellowship with Jesus; it is not the sitting, but the sitting at Jesus' feet, that deserves praise. Do not imagine that activity is in itself an evil; it is a great blessing and a means of grace to us. Paul called it a grace given to him that he was allowed to preach, and every form of Christian service may become a personal blessing to the one engaged in it. Those who have the most fellowship with Christ are not recluses or hermits with plenty of time to spare, but tireless workers toiling for Jesus who have Him at their side in the toil, so that they are workers together with God. Let us remember, then, that whatever we have to do for Jesus, we can do it and should do it in close fellowship with Him.