Spurgeon: March AM
* 03/10/AM
"In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved."
--Psalm 30:6
"Moab settled on his lees, he hath not been emptied from
vessel to vessel." Give a man wealth; let his ships bring home
continually rich freights; let the winds and waves appear to be
his servants to bear his vessels across the bosom of the mighty
deep; let his lands yield abundantly: let the weather be
propitious to his crops; let uninterrupted success attend him;
let him stand among men as a successful merchant; let him enjoy
continued health; allow him with braced nerve and brilliant eye
to march through the world, and live happily; give him the
buoyant spirit; let him have the song perpetually on his lips;
let his eye be ever sparkling with joy--and the natural
consequence of such an easy state to any man, let him be the
best Christian who ever breathed, will be presumption ; even
David said, "I shall never be moved;" and we are not better than
David, nor half so good. Brother, beware of the smooth places of
the way; if you are treading them, or if the way be rough, thank
God for it. If God should always rock us in the cradle of
prosperity; if we were always dandled on the knees of fortune;
if we had not some stain on the alabaster pillar; if there were
not a few clouds in the sky; if we had not some bitter drops in
the wine of this life, we should become intoxicated with
pleasure, we should dream "we stand;" and stand we should, but
it would be upon a pinnacle; like the man asleep upon the mast,
each moment we should be in jeopardy.
We bless God, then, for our afflictions; we thank Him for our
changes; we extol His name for losses of property; for we feel
that had He not chastened us thus, we might have become too
secure. Continued worldly prosperity is a fiery trial.
"Afflictions, though they seem severe,
In mercy oft are sent."