What is "prosperity?" Is it threads of life weaved into a
bright outcome? a full cup? ample riches? worldly applause? an unbroken circle?
No! these are often a snare; received without gratitude; dimming the soul to its
nobler destinies. Often spiritually, it rather means God taking us by the hand
into the lowly Valleys of Humiliation; leading us as He did His servant
Job of old; out of his sheep, oxen, camels, health, wealth, children; in order
that we may be brought before Him in the dust, and say, "Blessed be His holy
name!"
Yes! The very reverse of what is generally known in the world
as Prosperity forms the background on which the Rainbow of Promise
is seen. God smiles on us through these rainbows and teardrops
of sorrows! He loves us too well. He has too great an interest in our
spiritual welfare to permit us to live on in what is misnamed "Prosperity." When
He sees duties languidly performed, or coldly neglected, the heart
deadened, and love to Himself congealed by the absorbing power of the
present world. He puts a thorn in our nest to drive us to the wing and
prevent our being grovelers forever!
I may not be able now to understand the mystery of these
dealings. I may be asking through the tears, "Why this unkind arrest on
my earthly happiness? Why so premature a lopping of my boughs of promise?
Why such a speedy withering of my most cherished gourd?" The answer is
plain. It is your soul's prosperity which He has in view. Believe it; your true
Ebenezers will yet be raised close by your Zarephaths (the place
of furnace).
His afflictions are no arbitrary appointments.
There is righteous necessity in all that He does. As He lays His
chastening hand upon you, and leads you by ways you know not, and which you
never would have chosen. He whispers the gentle accents in your ear, "Beloved I
wish above all things that you would prosper even as your soul prospers."
Rest in the quiet consciousness that all is well. Murmur
at nothing which brings you nearer to His own loving Presence. Be thankful for
your very cares, because you can confidently cast them all upon Him. He
has both your temporal and eternal "prosperity" too much at heart to appoint
one superfluous pang, one needless stroke. Commit therefore, all that concerns
you to His safe keeping, and leave it there!
[John MacDuff]
✞ ✞ ✞
Psalm 35:27 ... Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
Psalm 1:3 ... And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Zechariah 8:12 ... For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
3 John 1:2 ... Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. ❤
