Spurgeon - "Blessed Beyond Measure"

"I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore." -Genesis 22:17

Charles Spurgeon was not just a great preacher, but he was also a great writer of devotionals. One of the daily devotionals I am reading this year is Beside Still Waters: Words of Comfort for the Soul, updated in modern English by Roy H. Clarke. Here, Spurgeon comforts the soul with the reminder that our highest blessedness is God with us.

"The greatest blessing God gives is His presence. If I could choose any of life's blessings, I certainly would not ask for wealth, because wealth cannot bring freedom from pain, concern, or anxiety. I certainly would not ask for popularity, because there is no rest for the world's leaders. My choice, my highest honor, would be to have God with me always. 

When God is with us, there is no difference between Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace (Daniel 3:19) and a comfortable bed. It does not matter! We will be happy in either. If God is with us, if His divine love surrounds us, then we carry our own atmosphere and residence wherever we travel, and we can say with Moses, 'Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations' (Psalm 90:1). The individual who can say this is full of heaven, full of God, and blessed beyond measure. This is the privilege of all who truly believe in Jesus, of all who come out from the world, and of all who, like Abraham, live a life of faith (Genesis 12:4). Bow your head, believer, and let the Lord God pronounce this blessing, 'I will bless you.'

 If you are sorrowing, suffering, weary, or burdened, receive the blessing from God's own mouth, 'I will bless you.'

If you are poor, despised, or slandered, this blessing is not shortened. Take it with you, and go on your way rejoicing."