Spurgeon’s
Morning and Evening
March
03/03/AM
'I have
chosen thee in the furnace of
affliction.'-Isaiah 48:10
Comfort
thyself, tried believer, with this
thought: God saith, 'I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.'
Does not
the word come like a soft shower, assuaging the fury of the flame? Yea,
is it
not an asbestos armour, against which the heat hath no power? Let
affliction
come-God has chosen me. Poverty, thou mayst stride in at my door, but
God is in
the house already, and He has chosen me. Sickness, thou mayst intrude,
but I
have a balsam ready-God has chosen me. Whatever befalls me in this vale
of
tears, I know that He has 'chosen' me. If, believer, thou requirest
still
greater comfort, remember that you have the Son of Man with you in
the furnace.
In that silent chamber of yours, there sitteth by your side One whom
thou hast
not seen, but whom thou lovest; and ofttimes when thou knowest it not,
He makes
all thy bed in thy affliction, and smooths thy pillow for thee. Thou
art in
poverty; but in that lovely house of thine the Lord of life and glory
is a
frequent visitor. He loves to come into these desolate places, that He
may
visit thee. Thy friend sticks closely to thee. Thou canst not see Him,
but thou
mayst feel the pressure of His hands. Dost thou not hear His voice?
Even in the
valley of the shadow of death He says, 'Fear not, I am with thee; be
not
dismayed, for I am thy God.' Remember that noble speech of Caesar:
'Fear not,
thou carriest Caesar and all his fortune.' Fear not, Christian;