It's after 6:00 pm and I'm just now finishing up my farm work. Been a glorious day. Earlier, at Bo's, the Shepherd led me to Psalm 42.
"As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for you, O God." I have, many times, had a great sense of the glory of the Triune God, but there was something special about my devotions this morning. David looks over and sees a deer that wants nothing more than water, and draws a comparison from the desire for thirst to be quenched to his longing to be with Christ. I couldn't stop weeping. My soul truly longs for God, my King, my friend, my brother, my everything. What a beautiful doctrine is that of divine election. That a being that is so undeserving of grace and mercy was granted it because of faith. And that faith was given to him because God loves him, not because of works but because of grace alone. I love you, Lord, because you have given us hope in this life. I worship you with all I can offer. You indeed satisfy me every day.
After my coffee and worship time I had a workout at the gym. What made it so good was the fact that, while lifting, I stumbled upon a wonderful sermon by Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 31. The sermon is called, "My Times Are In Your Hand."
Again, it seemed like revival was brewing in my heart. Is it just a coincidence that Spurgeon singled out 70-year old men for special admonition?
Some of you are older than I am. For you are 70 or 80 years of age. How much longer do you expect to travel in this wilderness? Have you another 10 years? God has been gracious to you for 70 years, and will you fret about the last 10, which indeed may never come? That will never do. God has delivered some of you out of such great trials that your present ones are mere flea bites.
Then he added this illustration:
Sir Francis Drake, after he had sailed around the world, came up to the Thames, and when he had passed Grey's End there came a storm which threatened the ship. The brave commander said, "What? Go around the world safely and then get drowned in a ditch? Never!" So we ought to say, "God has upheld us in great tribulations, and we are not going to be cast down about trials which are common to men. My times are in his hand, and therefore the end will be glorious.
I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior 62 years ago at the age of 8. Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross for my sins and for saving my soul. The Scripture says that the gospel will reach the ends of the earth before the Second Coming, and I feel Mr. Spurgeon's life was definitely part of God's plan to accomplish that. There's no question that he was greatly anointed by the Holy Spirit here on earth. He brought countless sinners to Christ through his unwavering integrity and his direct messages of truth and faith from the Scriptures. What a blessing to have his sermons at our fingertips anytime we want them.
Spurgeon, in his sermon, wisely said: "We shall not die before our time, neither shall we be forgotten and left upon the stage too long." Our Lord did not come to make our lives narrow and barren. He came to make our lives rich and full until the day he takes us home. This life is not the life the world offers but a new life, even himself, and plenty of it. The abundance is in God's grace, which is freely given. I am a child of the King. I therefore have an abundance beyond the world's fluctuating financial markets. I am a plutocrat by the grace of God.
"My times" are not really mine but his. I am only the steward of my days, and I had better number them that I may apply my heart unto wisdom. That includes using my time to bear witness to the Timeless One every chance I get.