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STRONG FAITH
-Spurgeon, "A LECTURE FOR LITTLE-FAITH"
I will try to depict the state of the
Christian who has STRONG FAITH--
He may be as poor as poverty can make him, but he is rich.
He has no thought with regard to the morrow, for the
morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
He casts himself upon the providence of God--
he believes that he who clothes the lilies, and feeds the ravens,
will not allow his children to go starving or barefooted.
He has but little concern as to his temporal estate; he folds his
arms and floats down the stream of providence singing all the
way, whether he float by mud bank, dark, dreary, and noxious;
or by palace fair and valley pleasant; he alters not his position;
he neither moves not struggles; he has no will nor wish which
way to swim, his only desire being to-
"lie passive in God's hand, and know no will but his."
When the storm flies over his head he finds Christ to be a
shelter from the tempest; when the heat is hot he finds
Christ to be the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
He just casts his anchor down deep into the sea, and when the
wind blows, he sleeps; hurricanes may come about his ears, the
masts creak, and every timber seems to be strained and every
nail to start from its place, but there he sleeps.
Christ is at the helm. He says,
"My anchor is within the veil, I know it will keep its hold."
The earth shakes beneath his feet; but he says,
"Though the earth be removed and mountains be cast into the
sea, yet we will not fear, for God is our refuge and strength,
and a very present help in time of trouble."
Ask him about his eternal interests, and he tells you that
his only confidence is in Christ, and that die when he may,
he knows he shall stand boldly at the last great day clothed
in his Saviour's righteousness.
He speaks very confidently though never boasting; though
he has no time to dance the 'giddy dance of presumption',
he stands firmly on the rock of confidence.
Perhaps you think he is proud - ah! he is a humble man;
he lies low before the cross, but he can look you boldly
in the face, and tell you that Christ is able to keep that
which he has committed to him. He knows that-
"His honor is engaged to save, the lowest of his sheep.
All that His heavenly Father gave, His hands securely keep."
And die when he may, he can lay his head upon the pillow of the
promise, and breathe his life out on the Saviour's breast without
a struggle or a murmur, crying - "Victory," in the arms of
death; challenging Death to produce his sting, and demanding
of the grave its victory.
Such is the effect of strong faith; I repeat, the weakest
Christian in the world, by diligent cultivation may attain to it.
Only seek the refreshing influence of the Divine Spirit,
and walk in Christ's commandments, and live near to him;
and you that are dwarfs, like Zaccheus, shall become as giants.
The hyssop on the wall shall grow up into the dignity of the
cedar of Lebanon, and you that now fly before your enemies
shall yet be able to chase a thousand, and two of you shall
put ten thousand to flight!
May the Lord enable his poor 'little faiths' so to grow!
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