Morning, February 7

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"Arise, and depart."

  Micah 2:10

   The hour is approaching when the message will come to us, as it comes
   to all--"Arise, and go forth from the home in which thou hast dwelt,
   from the city in which thou hast done thy business, from thy family,
   from thy friends. Arise, and take thy last journey." And what know we
   of the journey? And what know we of the country to which we are bound?
   A little we have read thereof, and somewhat has been revealed to us by
   the Spirit; but how little do we know of the realms of the future! We
   know that there is a black and stormy river called "Death." God bids us
   cross it, promising to be with us. And, after death, what cometh? What
   wonder-world will open upon our astonished sight? What scene of glory
   will be unfolded to our view? No traveller has ever returned to tell.
   But we know enough of the heavenly land to make us welcome our summons
   thither with joy and gladness. The journey of death may be dark, but we
   may go forth on it fearlessly, knowing that God is with us as we walk
   through the gloomy valley, and therefore we need fear no evil. We shall
   be departing from all we have known and loved here, but we shall be
   going to our Father's house--to our Father's home, where Jesus is--to
   that royal "city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is
   God." This shall be our last removal, to dwell forever with him we
   love, in the midst of his people, in the presence of God. Christian,
   meditate much on heaven, it will help thee to press on, and to forget
   the toil of the way. This vale of tears is but the pathway to the
   better country: this world of woe is but the stepping-stone to a world
   of bliss.


   "Prepare us, Lord, by grace divine,

   For thy bright courts on high;

   Then bid our spirits rise, and join

   The chorus of the sky."