Spurgeon Meditations

 

Wherefore hast Thou afflicted Thy servant?

Num 11 11

Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith. If our faith be worth anything it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond but the true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true the body full of health and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lord's faithfulness when friends are gone when the body is sick when spirits are depressed and the light of our Father's countenance is hidden. A faith which can say in the direst trouble Though He slayme, yet will I trust in Him, is heaven-born faith. The Lord afflicts His servants to glorify Himself for He is greatly glorified in the graces of His people which are His own handiwork. When "tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience; and experience hope the Lord is honoured by thesegrowing virtues. We should never know the music of the harp ifthe strings were left untouched; nor enjoy the juice of thegrape if it were not trodden in the winepress; nor discover thesweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten; norfeel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed.The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by thetrials through which His vessels of mercy are permitted to pass.Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. Theremust be shades in the picture to bring out the beauty of thelights. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven, if we hadnot known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth? Will notpeace be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome aftertoil? Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance thebliss of the glorified? There are many other comfortable answersto the question with which we opened our brief meditation, letus muse upon it all day long.% 10/08/AM Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught." --Luke 5:4 We learn from this narrative the necessity of human agency. The draught of fishes was miraculous yet neither the fisherman nor his boat nor his fishing tackle were ignored; but all were used to take the fishes. So in the saving of souls God worketh by means; and while the present economy of grace shall stand God will be pleased by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. When God worketh without instruments doubtless He is glorified; but He hath Himself selected the plan of instrumentality as being that by which He is most magnified in the earth. Means of themselves are utterly unavailing. Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing. What was the reason of this? Were they not fishermen plying their special calling? Verily they were no raw hands; they understood the work. Had they gone about the toil unskillfully? No. Had they lacked industry? No they had toiled. Had they lacked perseverance? No they had toiled all the night. Was there a deficiency of fish in the sea? Certainly not for as soon as the Master came they swam to the net in shoals. What then is the reason? Is it because there is no power in the means of themselves apart from the presence of Jesus? "Without Him we can do nothing." But with Christ we can do all things. Christ's presence confers success. Jesus sat in Peter's boat and His will by a mysterious influence drew the fish to the net. When Jesus is lifted up in His Church His presence is the Church's power--the shout of a king is in the midst of her. "I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me." Let us go out this morning on our work of soul fishing looking up in faith and around us in solemn anxiety. Let us toil till night comes and we shall not labour in vain for He who bids us let down the net will fill it with fishes.


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