The Dove Came in to Him in the Evening
The sermon emphasizes the need to return to Jesus for rest and satisfaction, and to cultivate intimacy with Him through grateful acknowledgments and a deep longing for His presence.
C.H. Spurgeon reflects on the day's toils and the need for rest in God, emphasizing that true satisfaction cannot be found in earthly possessions or achievements. He draws a parallel between the dove returning to the ark and his own longing to return to Jesus, the source of peace for his weary soul. Spurgeon expresses gratitude for God's mercies and the desire for deeper communion with Christ, recognizing that only in His presence can he find true rest and fulfillment. He encourages believers to bring their acknowledgments of God's kindness and seek a closer relationship with Him.
Text
Blessed be the Lord for another day of mercy, even though I am now weary with its toils. Unto the preserver of men lift I my song of gratitude. The dove found no rest out of the ark, and therefore returned to it; and my soul has learned yet more fully than ever, this day, that there is no satisfaction to be found in earthly things--God alone can give rest to my spirit. As to my business, my possessions, my family, my attainments, these are all well enough in their way, but they cannot fulfil the desires of my immortal nature.
"Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." It was at the still hour, when the gates of the day were closing, that with weary wing the dove came back to the master: O Lord, enable me this evening thus to return to Jesus. She could not endure to spend a night hovering over the restless waste, not can I bear to be even for another hour away from Jesus, the rest of my heart, the home of my spirit. She did not merely alight upon the roof of the ark, she "came in to him;" even so would my longing spirit look into the secret of the Lord, pierce to the interior of truth, enter into that which is within the veil, and reach to my Beloved in very deed.
To Jesus must I come: short of the nearest and dearest intercourse with Him my panting spirit cannot stay. Blessed Lord Jesus, be with me, reveal Thyself, and abide with me all night, so that when I awake I may be still with thee. I note that the dove brought in her mouth an olive branch plucked off, the memorial of the past day, and a prophecy of the future. Have I no pleasing record to bring home? No pledge and earnest of lovingkindness yet to come? Yes, my Lord, I present Thee my grateful acknowledgments for tender mercies which have been new every morning and fresh every evening; and now, I pray Thee, put forth Thy hand and take Thy dove into Thy bosom.
Sermon Outline
- I. No Satisfaction in Earthly Things
- A. Earthly possessions and attainments cannot fulfill the desires of our immortal nature
- B. We must look to God for rest and satisfaction
- II. The Call to Return to Jesus
- A. The dove's return to the ark is a picture of our need to return to Jesus
- B. We must come to Jesus, not just alight upon His roof
- III. The Importance of Intimacy with Jesus
- A. Our spirits long for intimacy with Jesus
- B. We must pierce the veil and enter into the secret of the Lord
- IV. Bringing a Record of God's Mercies
- A. We must present God with our grateful acknowledgments
- B. We must look to the future with hope and expectation
Key Quotes
“Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“She did not merely alight upon the roof of the ark, she 'came in to him;' even so would my longing spirit look into the secret of the Lord, pierce to the interior of truth, enter into that which is within the veil, and reach to my Beloved in very deed.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Blessed Lord Jesus, be with me, reveal Thyself, and abide with me all night, so that when I awake I may be still with thee.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We must look to God for rest and satisfaction, rather than seeking it in earthly things.
- We must cultivate intimacy with Jesus through prayer, Bible study, and a deep longing for His presence.
- We must present God with our grateful acknowledgments and look to the future with hope and expectation.