Morning
Time: 11:10 AM PST
"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."