Morning, March 10

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"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."