Spurgeon March 12 Make a King's Garden

MORNING "My heart is like wax; it is meted in the middle of my body." Psalm 22:14

OUR blessed Lord experienced a terrible sinking and melting of soul." The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear? Deep depression of spirit is the most grievous of all trials; all besides is as nothing. Well might the suffering Saviour cry to His God, "Be not far from me," for above all other seasons a man needs his God when his heart is melted within him because of heaviness. Believer, come near the cross this morning and humble adore the King of glory as having once been brought far lower, in mental destress and inward anguish, than any one among us; and mark His fitness to become a faithful High Priest, who can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. Especially let those of us whose sadness springs directly from the withdrawal of a present sense of our Father's love, enter into near and intimate communion with Jesus. Let us not give way to despair, since through this dark room the Master has passed before us. Our souls may sometimes long and faint, and thirst even to anguish, to behold the light of the Lord's countenance: at such times let us stay ourselves with the sweet fact of the symphony of our great High Priest. Our drops of sorrow may well be forgotten in the ocean of griefs; but how high ought our love to rise! Come in, O strong and deep love of Jesus, like the sea at the flood in spring tides, cover all my cares, lift up my earth-bound soul, and float it right up to my Lord's feet, and there let me lie, a poor broken shell, washed up by His love, having no virtue or value; and only venturing to whisper to Him that if He will put His ear to me, He will hear within my heart faint echoes of the vast waves of His own love which have brought me where it is my delight to lie, even at His feet forever.

EVENING "For there stood by me this night the angel of God." 2 Samuel 21:10

MENTION of the king's garden by Nehemiah brings to mind the paradise which the King of kings prepared for Adam. Sin has utterly ruined that fair abode of all delights and driven forth the children of men to till the ground, which yields thorns and briars unto them. My soul, remember the fall, for it was your fall. Weep much because the Lord of love was so shamefully ill-treated by the head of the human race, of which you are a member, as undeserving as any. Behold how dragons and demons dwell on this fair earth, which once was a garden of delights. See yonder another King's garden, which the King waters with His bloody sweat --- Gethsemane whose bitter herbs are sweeter far to renewed souls than even Eden's luscious fruits. There the mischief of the serpent in the first garden was undone: there the curse was lifted from earth, and borne by the woman's promised seed. My soul thinks you much of the agony and the passion; resort to the garden of the olive-press, and view your great Redeemer rescuing you from your lost estate. This is the garden of gardens indeed, where the soul may see the guilt of sin and the power of love, two sights which surpass all others. Is there no other King's garden? Yes, my heart there is or should be. How do the flowers flourish? Do any choice fruits appear? Does the King walk within, and rest in the bowers of my spirit? Let me see that the plants are trimmed and watered, and the mischievous foxes hunted out. Come, Lord, and let the heavenly wind blow at Your coming, that the spices of Your garden may flow abroad. Nor must I forget the King's garden of the church. O Lord, send prosperity unto it. Rebuild her walls, nourish her plants, ripen her fruits, and from the huge wilderness, reclaim the barren waste, and make "a King's Garden" there.

1. Invitation to Link to attend online virtual traditional 150+ years old church at 8:45 am CDT every Sunday morning: (Select Live Stream)Live Stream | First Baptist Church, Garland, TX (fbcgarland.org)

2. Invitation to Link to attend online Zoom meeting of FBCG Barnabas Sunday School Department at 10:00 am CDT every Sunday morning: (You will be connected by the Zoom meeting manager)https://us05web.zoom.us/j/2899163560?pwd=UVRqWWtxNlJXRkhXdTBVZzZmNUxLQT09