5 “For does not my house stand so with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
– 2 Sam 23:5 –
Recollect this, O thou who art tried in thy children—that prayer can remove thy troubles. There is not a pious father or mother here, who is suffering in the family, but may have that trial taken away yet. Faith is as omnipotent as God himself, for it moves the arm which leads the stars along. Have you prayed long for your children without a result? and have ye said, “I will cease to pray, for the more I wrestle, the worse they seem to grow, and the more am I tried?” Oh! say not so, thou weary watcher. Though the promise tarrieth, it will come. Still sow the seed; and when thou sowest it, drop a tear with each grain thou puttest into the earth. Oh, steep thy seeds in the tears of anxiety, and they cannot rot under the clods, if they have been baptized in so vivifying a mixture. And what though thou diest without seeing thy sons the heirs of light? They shall be converted even after thy death; and though thy bones shall be put in the grave, and thy son may stand and curse thy memory for an hour, he shall not forget it in the cooler moments of his recollection, when he shall meditate alone. Then he shall think of thy prayers, thy tears, thy groans; he shall remember thine advice—it shall rise up, and if he live is sin, still thy words shall sound as one long voice from the realm of spirits, and either affright him in the midst of his revelry, or charm him heavenward, like angel’s whispers, saying, “Follow on to glory, where thy parent is who once did pray for thee.” So the Christian may say, “Although my house be not so with God now, it may be yet;” therefore will I still wait, for there be mighty instances of conversion. Think of John Newton. He even became a slaver, yet was brought back. Hope on; never despair; taint heart never winneth the souls of men, but firm faith winneth all things; therefore watch unto prayer. “What I say unto you, I say unto all, watch.” There is your trouble, a small cup filled from the same sea of tribulation as was the Psalmist’s when he sung, “Although my house be not so with God.”
~Charles Spurgeon~
The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, Vol. I (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1855), 143. Vol. 1, Sermon No. 19; Titled: David’s Dying Song; Delivered on Sabbath Morning, April 15th, 1855.
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Thank you very much for this post. It is as timely as any that I have read for several days.The Lord has once again used the prince of preachers to convey words of great comfort and encouragement to me as I wrestle over the lives of my children, grandchildren, and great grandchild. Keep up the good work friend. God has used ,”The Old Guys,” to speak to many a heart, I’m sure.
GOD BLESS YOU & YOUR HOUSE,
Brother Dale
Well, who could argue with Charles Spurgeon? I certainly won’t, especially not today : )
I did look up several translations – different words and emphasis, but I imagine Spurgeon worked from the KJV (or, possibly, The Message), and the KJV came at the wording from the negative “Although my house not be so with God,” supporting Spurgeon’s premise of parents suffering for the faith of our wayward offspring. I suspect you are right about a scholarly review being interesting, but I hope there would be support for this view, especially since scholars nearly always disagree somewhat with each other. I love that Spurgeon is so in tune with the believer’s heart for a lost adult offspring. I love his heart and his thoroughness and his honesty and his passion – and I love hearing that the world really isn’t much worse than it ever was.
I had looked at this, but hadn’t gathered what the topic was or really read it yet. Thank you – I may have missed really reading it! What a blessing!!
Continuing in prayer with you,
Linda
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