Morning, February 10
Go To Evening Reading
“I know how to abound.”
Philippians 4:12
There are many who know “how to be abased” who have not learned “how to abound.” When they are set upon the top of a pinnacle their heads grow dizzy,
and they are ready to fall. The Christian far oftener disgraces his
profession in prosperity than in adversity. It is a dangerous thing
to be prosperous. The crucible of adversity is a less severe trial
to the Christian than the refining pot of prosperity. Oh, what leanness
of soul and neglect of spiritual things have been brought on through
the very mercies and bounties of God! Yet this is not a matter of
necessity, for the apostle tells us that he knew how to abound. When
he had much he knew how to use it. Abundant grace enabled him to bear
abundant prosperity. When he had a full sail he was loaded with much
ballast, and so floated safely. It needs more than human skill to
carry the brimming cup of mortal joy with a steady hand, yet Paul
had learned that skill, for he declares, “In all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry.” It is a divine lesson to know how to be full, for the Israelites
were full once, but while the flesh was yet in their mouth, the wrath
of God came upon them. Many have asked for mercies that they might
satisfy their own hearts’ lust. Fulness of bread has often made fulness of blood, and that
has brought on wantonness of spirit. When we have much of God’s providential mercies, it often happens that we have but little of
God’s grace, and little gratitude for the bounties we have received. We
are full and we forget God: satisfied with earth, we are content to
do without heaven. Rest assured it is harder to know how to be full
than it is to know how to be hungry—so desperate is the tendency of human nature to pride and forgetfulness
of God. Take care that you ask in your prayers that God would teach
you “how to be full.”
“Let not the gifts thy love bestows
Estrange our hearts from thee.”