O Christian! God has removed one of your sweetest mercies, comforts or enjoyments! It may be that you have over-loved them, over-prized them, and over-much delighted yourself in them. It may be they have often had your heart when they should have had but your hand. It may be that care, that concern, that confidence, that joy which should have been expended upon more noble objects, has been expended upon them! Your heart is Christ's bed of spices, and it may be that you have bedded your mercies with you when Christ has been made to lie outside! You have had room for them when you have had none for Him! They have had your best when your worst have been counted good enough for Christ!
It is said of Reuben, that he went up to his father's bed, (Genesis 49:4.) Ah! how often has one creature comfort, and sometimes another been put in between Christ and your souls! How often have your dear enjoyments gone up to Christ's bed! Your near and dear mercies have come into Christ's bed of love; your hearts! Now, if you take a husband, a child, a friend into that room in your soul which only belongs to God then He will either embitter it, remove it, or be the death of it. If once the love of a wife runs out more to a servant, than to her husband, the husband will remove that servant; though otherwise he was a servant worth gold. Now, if God has stripped you of that very mercy with which you have often committed spiritual adultery and idolatry, have you any cause to murmur?
There are those who love their mercies into their graves, who hug their mercies to death, who kiss them until they kill them! Many a man has slain his mercies--by setting too great a value upon them! Many a man has sunk his ship of mercy by overloading it. Over-loved mercies are seldom long-lived. The way to lose your mercies, is to indulge them! The way to destroy them, is to fix your minds and hearts upon them. You may write bitterness and death upon that mercy, which has taken away your heart from God.
Christian! Your heart is Christ's royal throne, and in this throne Christ will be chief! He will endure no competitor! If you attempt to enthrone the creature, be it ever so near and dear unto you, Christ will dethrone it! He will destroy it! He will quickly lay them in a bed of dust who shall aspire to His royal throne!
[Thomas Brooks]
Ezekiel 24:21 … Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.
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