I knew it was coming, those final four weeks before Artist Son graduates, and we prepare to transition our family to the States for the summer months. I knew it would get busy--we've walked (run!) this road before-- but the reality is always a little more real than the expectation. This reading from Charles Spurgeon was a perfect reminder of a command with a promise.
"Let the people renew their strength. " Isaiah 41:1
All things on earth need to be renewed. No created thing continueth by itself. "Thou renewest the face of the year." was the Psalmists's utterance. Even the trees, which wear not themselves with care, nor shorten their lives with labor, must drink of the rain of heaven and suck from the hidden treasures of the soil. The cedars of Lebanon, which God has planted, only live because day by day they are full of sap fresh drawn from the earth. Neither can man's life be sustained without renewal from God. As it is necessary to repair the wast of the body by the frequent meal, so we must repair the wast of the soul a by feeding upon the Book of God, or by listening to the preached Word, or by the soul-fattening table of the ordinances. How depressed are our graces when means are neglected! What poor starvelings some saints are who live without the diligent use of the Word of God, and secret prayer! If our piety can live without God, itis not the of divine creating; it is but a dream; for if God had begotten it, it would wait upon Him as the flowers wait upon the dew. Without constant restoration we are not ready for the perpetual assaults of hell, or the stern afflictions of heaven, or even for the strifes within. When the whirlwind shall be loosed, woe to the tree that hath not sucked up fresh sap, and grasped the rock with many intertwisted roots. When tempests arise, woe to the mariners that have not strengthened their mast, nor cast their anchor, nor sought the haven it we suffer the good to grow weaker, the evil will surely gather strength and struggle desperately for the mastery over us; and so, mayhap, a painful desolation, and a lamentable disgrace may follow. Let us draw near to the footstool of divine mercy in humble entreaty, and we shall realize the fulfillment of the promise, "They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength."
All things on earth need to be renewed. No created thing continueth by itself. "Thou renewest the face of the year." was the Psalmists's utterance. Even the trees, which wear not themselves with care, nor shorten their lives with labor, must drink of the rain of heaven and suck from the hidden treasures of the soil. The cedars of Lebanon, which God has planted, only live because day by day they are full of sap fresh drawn from the earth. Neither can man's life be sustained without renewal from God. As it is necessary to repair the wast of the body by the frequent meal, so we must repair the wast of the soul a by feeding upon the Book of God, or by listening to the preached Word, or by the soul-fattening table of the ordinances. How depressed are our graces when means are neglected! What poor starvelings some saints are who live without the diligent use of the Word of God, and secret prayer! If our piety can live without God, itis not the of divine creating; it is but a dream; for if God had begotten it, it would wait upon Him as the flowers wait upon the dew. Without constant restoration we are not ready for the perpetual assaults of hell, or the stern afflictions of heaven, or even for the strifes within. When the whirlwind shall be loosed, woe to the tree that hath not sucked up fresh sap, and grasped the rock with many intertwisted roots. When tempests arise, woe to the mariners that have not strengthened their mast, nor cast their anchor, nor sought the haven it we suffer the good to grow weaker, the evil will surely gather strength and struggle desperately for the mastery over us; and so, mayhap, a painful desolation, and a lamentable disgrace may follow. Let us draw near to the footstool of divine mercy in humble entreaty, and we shall realize the fulfillment of the promise, "They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength."
3 comments:
Hello! I am a follower of Christ, and your blog...:)
I have enjoyed getting to know your family via your writing and pictures. I live in CA and wondered if you will be on the West Coast this summer. If so, maybe we could meet. Thanks for the timely Spurgeon encouragement, I am going to pull out my Morning and Evening Devotional this evening.
By the way, this is not Peter Gerhardt, it is his mom, Pam. :)
Nice to meet you, Pam--thanks for introducing yourself! I would love to make it to CA this summer. I used to live in Hayward/Fremont and dream of introducing my children to San Francisco, the place of many fond childhood memories, but alas, I don't think it is going to happen this summer. We will be in Boise, Idaho most of the summer and may make it as far west as western Washington.
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