O, My LORD, Grant Me Grace To Live Above These Perishable Things.

Even though he had a shipload of such rubbish!
(Charles Spurgeon, "Flowers from a Puritan's Garden" 1883) 

The more abundance of truly 
valuable things a man has--
the more he has of true riches. 

A child counts himself rich when 
he has a great many marbles, 
and toys, and rocks--
for these suit his childish 
age and imagination. 

Just so, a worldly man counts himself 
rich when he has a great store of gold 
and silver, or lands and houses. 

But a child of GOD counts himself 
rich when he has . . .
  GOD for his Portion,
  CHRIST for his Redeemer, 
and   the SPIRIT for his Guide, 
Sanctifier, and Comforter.

This is as much above a carnal man's 
estate in the world, as a carnal man's 
estate is above a child's toys and trifles--
yes, infinitely more!

It is above all things desirable, that we 
adopt a correct scale to estimate things. 
When we make our personal audit, we shall 
fall into grievous error if the principles of our 
reckoning are not thoroughly accurate. 

If we reckon buttons as silver, 
and brass as gold--
we shall dream that we are rich, 
when we are in poverty! 

In taking stock of our own condition, 
let us be sure only to reckon that for 
riches, which is really riches to us. Wealth 
to the worldling is not wealth to the Christian. 
His currency is different, his valuables 
are of another sort.

Am I today poorer in money than 
I was ten years ago. And at the same 
time, am I more humble, more patient, 
more earnest, more loving? Then set 
me down as a rich man! 

Have my worldly goods largely 
increased during the last few years? 
And at the same time, am I also more 
proud, more carnal-minded, more 
lukewarm, more petulant? Then I must 
write myself down as a poorer man, 
whatever others may think of my estate. 

A Christian's riches are within him! 

External belongings are by no 
means a sure gain to a man. 

A horse is none the better off for 
all its gilded trappings. Just so, 
a man is in truth, none the richer 
for his sumptuous surroundings. 

Paul was richer than King Croesus, 
when he was able to say, 

"I have learned to be content whatever 
the circumstances. I know what it is to be 
in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. 
I have learned the secret of being content 
in any and every situation, whether well fed 
or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want!" 
Philippians 4:11-12 

Such contentment surpasses riches! 

Solomon, after summing up all his 
possessions and delights, was compelled 
to add,

 "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!"
(Ecclesiastes 1:2b)

If a man should labor to be rich after 
the fashion of the poor African natives, 
and should accumulate a large store 
of shells and beads--
yet when he came home 
to England he would be a beggar, 
even though he had a shipload 
of such rubbish! 

Just so, he who gives his heart and 
soul to the accumulation of gold coins--
is a beggar when he comes into the spiritual 
realm, where such coins are reckoned as mere 
forms of earth, non-current in Heaven, and of less
 value than the least of spiritual blessings!

O, my LORD, let me not merely talk thus, 
and pretend to despise earthly treasure--
when all the while I am hunting after it! 

Grant me grace to live above these 
perishable things, never setting my heart 
upon them; nor caring whether I have them, 
or have them not. But give me grace to exercise 
all my energy in pleasing YOU, and in gaining 
those things which YOU hold in esteem. 

Give me, I beseech YOU, the riches of YOUR grace--
that I may at last attain to the riches of YOUR glory!  

 ~  ~  ~  ~ 

GraceGems has published William Nicholson's choice short article,
 "The Precious Sons of Zion!"