12 OCTOBER (1873)
‘Forever with the Lord’
‘To be with Christ; which is far better.’ Philippians 1:23
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 2 Timothy 4:6–18
Picture yourself sitting in a gloomy dungeon, a captive of the cruel tyrant Nero, and under the supervision of the infamous prefect Tigellinus, the most detestable of Nero’s attendants. Conceive yourself as expecting soon to be taken out perhaps to such a horrible death as the refined cruelty of the monster had often devised, as, for instance, to be smeared with bituminous matter and burned in the despot’s garden to adorn a holiday. What would be your feelings?
If you were not a Christian I should expect you to tremble with the fear of death, and even if you were a believer, I should not marvel if the flesh shrunk from the prospect. Paul was an utter stranger to any feeling of the kind. He had not the slightest dread of martyrdom. He calls his expected death a departure, a loosing of the cable which holds his ship to the shore, and a putting forth upon the main ocean. So far from being afraid to die, he stands fully prepared, waits patiently, and even anticipates joyfully the hour when his change shall come.
On the other hand, I can imagine that amidst the miseries of a wretched prison, subject to frequent insults from a rude soldiery, you might be seized with a desire to escape from life. Good men have felt the power of that feeling. Elijah said, ‘take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.’ Job sighed to be hidden in the grave, and often, under far less afflictions than those which vexed the apostle, good men have said, ‘Would God this life were at an end and these miseries over; I am weary; when will death release me?’
I see nothing of that in the apostle; he is not restive under the chain; there is not a trace of impatience about him. He joyfully admits that to be with Christ is far better, but sees reasons for remaining here and therefore cheerfully submits to whatever may be the Lord’s will. His mind is so wrapped up with God and free from self that he cannot choose. What a blessed state to be in!
FOR MEDITATION: Consider the words which sum up Paul’s state of mind as he faced difficult circumstances and an uncertain future—ready (Acts 21:13), expectation and hope (Philippians 1:20), content (Philippians 4:11). His secret is surely to be found in Isaiah 26:3 and Philippians 4:6–7.
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 4), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2007), 296.
‘Forever with the Lord’
‘To be with Christ; which is far better.’ Philippians 1:23
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 2 Timothy 4:6–18
Picture yourself sitting in a gloomy dungeon, a captive of the cruel tyrant Nero, and under the supervision of the infamous prefect Tigellinus, the most detestable of Nero’s attendants. Conceive yourself as expecting soon to be taken out perhaps to such a horrible death as the refined cruelty of the monster had often devised, as, for instance, to be smeared with bituminous matter and burned in the despot’s garden to adorn a holiday. What would be your feelings?
If you were not a Christian I should expect you to tremble with the fear of death, and even if you were a believer, I should not marvel if the flesh shrunk from the prospect. Paul was an utter stranger to any feeling of the kind. He had not the slightest dread of martyrdom. He calls his expected death a departure, a loosing of the cable which holds his ship to the shore, and a putting forth upon the main ocean. So far from being afraid to die, he stands fully prepared, waits patiently, and even anticipates joyfully the hour when his change shall come.
On the other hand, I can imagine that amidst the miseries of a wretched prison, subject to frequent insults from a rude soldiery, you might be seized with a desire to escape from life. Good men have felt the power of that feeling. Elijah said, ‘take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.’ Job sighed to be hidden in the grave, and often, under far less afflictions than those which vexed the apostle, good men have said, ‘Would God this life were at an end and these miseries over; I am weary; when will death release me?’
I see nothing of that in the apostle; he is not restive under the chain; there is not a trace of impatience about him. He joyfully admits that to be with Christ is far better, but sees reasons for remaining here and therefore cheerfully submits to whatever may be the Lord’s will. His mind is so wrapped up with God and free from self that he cannot choose. What a blessed state to be in!
FOR MEDITATION: Consider the words which sum up Paul’s state of mind as he faced difficult circumstances and an uncertain future—ready (Acts 21:13), expectation and hope (Philippians 1:20), content (Philippians 4:11). His secret is surely to be found in Isaiah 26:3 and Philippians 4:6–7.
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 4), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2007), 296.
12 OCTOBER (1873)
‘Forever with the Lord’
‘To be with Christ; which is far better.’ Philippians 1:23
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 2 Timothy 4:6–18
Picture yourself sitting in a gloomy dungeon, a captive of the cruel tyrant Nero, and under the supervision of the infamous prefect Tigellinus, the most detestable of Nero’s attendants. Conceive yourself as expecting soon to be taken out perhaps to such a horrible death as the refined cruelty of the monster had often devised, as, for instance, to be smeared with bituminous matter and burned in the despot’s garden to adorn a holiday. What would be your feelings?
If you were not a Christian I should expect you to tremble with the fear of death, and even if you were a believer, I should not marvel if the flesh shrunk from the prospect. Paul was an utter stranger to any feeling of the kind. He had not the slightest dread of martyrdom. He calls his expected death a departure, a loosing of the cable which holds his ship to the shore, and a putting forth upon the main ocean. So far from being afraid to die, he stands fully prepared, waits patiently, and even anticipates joyfully the hour when his change shall come.
On the other hand, I can imagine that amidst the miseries of a wretched prison, subject to frequent insults from a rude soldiery, you might be seized with a desire to escape from life. Good men have felt the power of that feeling. Elijah said, ‘take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.’ Job sighed to be hidden in the grave, and often, under far less afflictions than those which vexed the apostle, good men have said, ‘Would God this life were at an end and these miseries over; I am weary; when will death release me?’
I see nothing of that in the apostle; he is not restive under the chain; there is not a trace of impatience about him. He joyfully admits that to be with Christ is far better, but sees reasons for remaining here and therefore cheerfully submits to whatever may be the Lord’s will. His mind is so wrapped up with God and free from self that he cannot choose. What a blessed state to be in!
FOR MEDITATION: Consider the words which sum up Paul’s state of mind as he faced difficult circumstances and an uncertain future—ready (Acts 21:13), expectation and hope (Philippians 1:20), content (Philippians 4:11). His secret is surely to be found in Isaiah 26:3 and Philippians 4:6–7.
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 4), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2007), 296.
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