Spurgeon Meditations

 

Ye serve the Lord Christ.

Col 3 24

To what choice order of officials was this word spoken? To kings who proudly boast a right divine? Ah no! too often do they serve themselves or Satan and forget the God whose sufferance permits them to wear their mimic majesty for their little hour. Speaks then the apostle to those so-called "right reverend fathers in God the bishops, or the venerable the archdeacons"? No indeed Paul knew nothing of these mere inventions of man. Not even to pastors and teachers or to the wealthy and esteemed among believers was this word spoken but to servants ay and to slaves. Among the toiling multitudes the journeymen the day labourers the domestic servants the drudges of the kitchen the apostle found as we find still some of the Lord's chosen and to them he says Whatsoever yedo, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowingthat of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance:for ye serve the Lord Christ. This saying ennobles the weary routine of earthly employments and sheds a halo around the most humble occupations. To wash feet may be servile but to wash His feet is royal work. To unloose the shoe-latchet is poor employ but to unloose the great Master's shoe is a princely privilege. The shop the barn the scullery and the smithy become temples when men and women do all to the glory of God! Then "divine service" is not a thing of a few hours and a few places but all life becomes holiness unto the Lord and every place and thing as consecrated as the tabernacle and its golden candlestick. Teach me, my God and King, in all things Thee to see; And what I do in anything to do it as to Thee. All may of Thee partake, nothing can be so mean, Which with this tincture, for Thy sake, will not grow bright and clean. A servant with this clause makes drudgery divine; Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws, makes that and the action fine.% 12/12/PM They have dealt treacherously against the Lord." --Hosea 5:7 Believer here is a sorrowful truth! Thou art the beloved of the Lord redeemed by blood called by grace preserved in Christ Jesus accepted in the Beloved on thy way to heaven and yet thou hast dealt treacherously with God thy best friend; treacherously with Jesus whose thou art; treacherously with the Holy Spirit by whom thou hast been quickened unto life eternal! How treacherous you have been in the matter of vows and promises. Do you remember the love of your espousals that happy time--the springtide of your spiritual life? Oh how closely did you cling to your Master then! saying He shall never charge mewith indifference; my feet shall never grow slow in the way ofHis service; I will not suffer my heart to wander after otherloves; in Him is every store of sweetness ineffable. I give allup for my Lord Jesus' sake. Has it been so? Alas! if conscience speak it will say He who promised so well has performed mostill. Prayer has oftentimes been slurred--it has been short, butnot sweet; brief, but not fervent. Communion with Christ hasbeen forgotten. Instead of a heavenly mind, there have beencarnal cares, worldly vanities and thoughts of evil. Instead ofservice, there has been disobedience; instead of fervency,lukewarmness; instead of patience, petulance; instead of faith,confidence in an arm of flesh; and as a soldier of the crossthere has been cowardice, disobedience, and desertion, to a veryshameful degree. Thou hast dealt treacherously. Treachery to Jesus! what words shall be used in denouncing it? Words little avail: let our penitent thoughts execrate the sin which is so surely in us. Treacherous to Thy wounds O Jesus! Forgive us and let us not sin again! How shameful to be treacherous to Him who never forgets us but who this day stands with our names engraven on His breastplate before the eternal throne.


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