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October 4 Daily Devotional

Morning and Evening

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“And all the Israelites complained” (Numbers 14:2).

Bible Reading

Numbers 14:1–5

Devotional

There are complainers among Christians now, just as there were in the camp of Israel of old. There are those who, when the rod falls, cry out against the affliction. They ask, “Why am I afflicted like this? What have I done to be chastened this way?”

A word with you, O complainer! Why should you complain against your heavenly Father’s ordering of affairs? Can he treat you more severely than you deserve? Consider what a rebel you once were, but he has pardoned you! Surely, if he in his wisdom now sees fit to chasten you, you should not complain. After all, are you smitten even as severely as your sins deserve? Consider all the corruption that is in your heart; will you then wonder that it takes so much of the rod to get it out? Weigh yourself, and discern how much dross is mingled with your gold; do you now think the fire is too hot to purge away as much dross as you have? Does not that proud rebellious spirit of yours demonstrate that your heart is not thoroughly sanctified? Are not those complaining words contrary to the holy submissive nature of God’s children? Is not the correction needed?

But if you will complain against the chastening, beware, for it will go hard with complainers. God always chastises his children twice if they do not bear the first stroke patiently. But know one thing—”he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow” (Lam. 3:33). All his corrections are sent in love, in order to purify you and to draw you nearer to himself. Surely it must help you to bear the chastening with resignation if you are able to recognize thy Father’s hand. For “the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.’ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” (Heb. 12:6-7). “And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Cor. 10:10).

[April 30, morning]

Extracted from C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening (public domain), language modernized by Larry E. Wilson.

 

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