Sapping Our Strength

Sapping Our Strength



C.H. Spurgeon was one wise guy.  He also could be a little sarcastic and full of humor.  One time, or so I have heard, one lady rebuked him for his off handed comments.  His response was classic.  He said something like this, “Ma'am, if you knew all of the things that I thought but did not say, you would be praising me instead of rebuking me.”  I wish I could think of stuff like that to say.  Usually I simply stutter or suffer some kind of foot in mouth disease.
I read a quote from Spurgeon that I thought was helpful for many of us today.  He said, “Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.”  Too often we find ourselves becoming weary, not because of today’s issues, but because the thought of having to struggle tomorrow is too big for us.  When I was in seminary, and serving as a Pastor, while being a young father, I used to make lists of all of the things I needed to do.  What I found was that I was frustrated, anxious, and exhausted, not from the things that I was doing, but from the list of things I had to do.  So, I stopped making lists!  I simply did what needed to be accomplished that day and faced tomorrow, tomorrow.  I found that God was giving me the strength I needed for today but not the strength I needed for tomorrow today.  But tomorrow was then today and He gave me strength to accomplish what needed to be accomplished on that day.  Phew, see why I quote Spurgeon and not me!
Want to know an important secret?  If you meditate on most of Spurgeon’s famous quotes long enough you will begin to realize that the Prince of Preachers was, for the most part, simply restating the wisdom from the Scriptures.  Truly he was a gifted orator but his source material was strictly from the Word of God.  Listen to this passage, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matt 6:34.  If you were to read the verses before this section you will understand where Spurgeon received his wisdom about strength.
Nothing in this blog is new.  But I wonder if we, and I start with myself, truly understand the treasure that we have in the Word of God?  Do we absorb it in such a way that we allow it to guide and direct our entire lives?  Spurgeon did.  He realized that there was wisdom in the Word for every moment of  his life.  He studied it carefully.  He desired to not only gain knowledge but he longed for wisdom about life.  He relied on the Spirit to illuminate him as to how these truths would and should shape his life.  He dug for the gems of truth that would light his way.  Sometimes we are simply happy that we took the time to read the Bible today. Sort of sad, isn’t it?  I am glad that we read but sad that we fail to see the treasure given to us.
Couple of more quotes to leave you with.  
“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. . . . Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God's Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord. . . .”
“A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”
“Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.”
“By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”
That last one didn’t really fit but I really liked it!