 |
|
Bread of Sorrows: When God sends it, it is
good to eat it.
When we bake it ourselves, it is vain to eat it.
When the devil brings it, it is deadly meat
|
‘The Psalmist says there are some men who deny themselves sleep. For
purposes of gain, or ambition, they rise up early and sit up late. Some of us
who are here present may have been guilty of the same thing. We have risen
early in the morning that we might turn over the ponderous volume, in order to
acquire knowledge; we have sat at night until our burned-out lamp has chidden
us, and told us that the sun was rising; while our eyes have ached, our brain
has throbbed, our heart has palpitated. We have been weary and worn out; we
have risen up early, and sat up late, and have in
that way come to eat the
bread of sorrow. Many of you businessmen are toiling in that style. We do not
condemn you for it; we do not forbid rising up early and sitting up late; but
we remind you of this text:—"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit
up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep."
And it is of this sleep, that God gives to his beloved, that we mean to speak
this morning, as God shall help us—a sleep peculiar to the children of God—a
sleep which he gives to his beloved.”
Because the Lord is mainly to be rested in,
all carking care is mere vanity and vexation of spirit. We are bound to be
diligent, for this, the Lord blesses; we ought not to be anxious, for that dishonours
the Lord, and can never secure his favour.
Some deny themselves needful rest; the
morning sees them rise before they are rested, the evening sees them toiling
long after the curfew has tolled the knell of parting day. They threaten to
bring themselves into the sleep of death by neglect of the sleep which
refreshes life. Nor is their sleeplessness the only index of their daily fret;
they stint themselves in their meals, they eat the commonest food, and the
smallest possible quantity of it, and what they do swallow is washed down with
the salt tears of grief, for they fear that daily bread will fail them. Hard
earned is their food, scantily rationed, and scarcely ever sweetened, but
perpetually smeared with sorrow; and all because they have no faith in God, and
find no joy except in hoarding up the gold which is their only trust.
Not thus, not thus, would the Lord have his
children live. He would have them, as princes of the blood, lead a happy and
restful life. Let them take a fair measure of rest and a due portion of food,
for it is for their health. Of course, the true believer will never be lazy or
extravagant; if he should be, he will have to suffer for it; but he will not
think it needful or right to be worried and miserly. Faith brings calm with it,
and banishes the disturbers who both by day and by night murder peace.
From Treasury of David
Comments
Post a Comment
Comment here