~ Thoughts from Spurgeon by Arnold Dallimore
I feel like I’ve been peeking in someone’s personal diary.
Hearing these stories about Charles Spurgeon and by Charles Spurgeon has left me inspired by a man I barely knew two months ago.
I’m thankful the story ended well.
How often we hear of budding stars only to hear later how they crashed and burned.
Spurgeon, on the other hand, fought the fight and finished the race with his faith intact (2 Timothy 4:7).
The final two chapters in Arnold Dallimore’s biography detail Spurgeon’s final labors. Perhaps what impressed me most in these chapters was how Spurgeon persevered despite physical maladies. His health was poor (as was his wife’s) and his spirits were often brought down with his body.
Yet still he allowed God to use him. That should encourage all of us. No matter how frail our bodies or circumstances, God is bigger and stronger. If we will do what we can, when we can, with faith, God will be honored through us as he was through Spurgeon.
Charles Spurgeon died on January 31, 1892. Five people were at his bedside. Realizing he had breathed his last, Mrs. Spurgeon prayed, thanking God for the unspeakable joy that he had given her by loaning her Charles.
Ultimately, reading biographies of strong Christians like Spurgeon not only prompts me to learn more about other men and women of great faith, but it primarily urges me to learn more about and grow closer to their Savior and my Savior.
Anyone who can inspire such tremendous life changes and selflessness is worthy of all our attention.
And that someone is our Jesus.
As was said of Spurgeon after a visit by American ministers during the 1880s, may it be said of each of us in our various ministries:
But they soon forgot all about the great building, the immense congregations, and the magnificent voice. They even overlooked their intention to compare the various features of the two preachers, and when the service was over they found themselves saying, “What a wonderful Savior is Jesus Christ!”
* * *
This concludes our Reading Biographies Together at Challies.com.
For now.
Please check in later and join us for either the next biography or classic.
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1 comment:
Thanks for your ongoing comments on the Spurgeon readings. Sorry for not getting your comments posted sooner. I recently had to switch to the verify comments mode and didn't realize I had pending comments.
Walt Hampel from School of the Solitary Place
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