16 JUNE (1878)

Encouragement to trust and pray

‘He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.’ Isaiah 30:19
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Matthew 26:69–27:5

Refuse despair. When a man sees that his confidences are broken up like a potter’s vessel till, to use the expressive figure of the prophet, there is not a piece left large enough ‘to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit’, then he is apt to exclaim, ‘Now it is all over with me and I must perish.’ You loved your wife; she was all the world to you, but alas, she is dead, and you cry, ‘Let me die also.’ You hugged your wealth; it has melted; that speculation has dissolved it and left you a beggar: and now you cry, ‘What is there worth living for?’ Beware of dark thoughts which may beset you just now. In your worst moment, should Satan whisper in your ear a suggestion concerning rope, or knife, or poison bowl, or sullen stream, flee from it with all your soul. Obey the apostolic word, ‘Do thyself no harm’.’ Nothing could be worse for you than to break the law, which says expressly, ‘Thou shalt do no murder.’

Self-destruction, if done by a man in his senses, is a daring defiance of God and the sealing of damnation. This is to leap from measured trouble into infinite woe, the depth of which none can guess. Why should you do this? Turn unto your God; that is a wiser thing for a man to do than to destroy his own life; there is something braver for a man to do than to rush upon the pikes of the foe because the battle waxes too hot for him. Go to your great Captain, even to him whom God has given to be a witness, a leader and a commander to the people, and he will make you more than a conqueror. There are brighter days in store for you yet.

FOR MEDITATION: Suicide is generally the ultimate act of despair in a life of disobedience to God, as in the cases of Saul (1 Samuel 31:4), Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23), Zimri (1 Kings 16:18–19) and Judas (Matthew 27:5). Samson is the exception which proves the rule (Judges 16:28–30). The Jews thought that the Lord Jesus Christ was going to commit suicide (John 8:21–22), but even he, in laying down his life for our sins (John 10:17–18), did not crucify himself. The Philippian jailer was spared to discover the best answer to despair (Acts 16:27–34).


C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 4), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2007), 178.
16 JUNE (1878) Encouragement to trust and pray ‘He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.’ Isaiah 30:19 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Matthew 26:69–27:5 Refuse despair. When a man sees that his confidences are broken up like a potter’s vessel till, to use the expressive figure of the prophet, there is not a piece left large enough ‘to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit’, then he is apt to exclaim, ‘Now it is all over with me and I must perish.’ You loved your wife; she was all the world to you, but alas, she is dead, and you cry, ‘Let me die also.’ You hugged your wealth; it has melted; that speculation has dissolved it and left you a beggar: and now you cry, ‘What is there worth living for?’ Beware of dark thoughts which may beset you just now. In your worst moment, should Satan whisper in your ear a suggestion concerning rope, or knife, or poison bowl, or sullen stream, flee from it with all your soul. Obey the apostolic word, ‘Do thyself no harm’.’ Nothing could be worse for you than to break the law, which says expressly, ‘Thou shalt do no murder.’ Self-destruction, if done by a man in his senses, is a daring defiance of God and the sealing of damnation. This is to leap from measured trouble into infinite woe, the depth of which none can guess. Why should you do this? Turn unto your God; that is a wiser thing for a man to do than to destroy his own life; there is something braver for a man to do than to rush upon the pikes of the foe because the battle waxes too hot for him. Go to your great Captain, even to him whom God has given to be a witness, a leader and a commander to the people, and he will make you more than a conqueror. There are brighter days in store for you yet. FOR MEDITATION: Suicide is generally the ultimate act of despair in a life of disobedience to God, as in the cases of Saul (1 Samuel 31:4), Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23), Zimri (1 Kings 16:18–19) and Judas (Matthew 27:5). Samson is the exception which proves the rule (Judges 16:28–30). The Jews thought that the Lord Jesus Christ was going to commit suicide (John 8:21–22), but even he, in laying down his life for our sins (John 10:17–18), did not crucify himself. The Philippian jailer was spared to discover the best answer to despair (Acts 16:27–34). C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 4), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2007), 178.
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