2/7 Spurgeon Today

“Arise, and depart.” — Micah 2:10

The hour is approaching when the message will come to us, as it comes to
all — ”Arise, and go forth from the home in which thou hast dwelt, from
the city in which thou hast done thy business, from thy family, from thy
friends. Arise, and take thy last journey.” And what know we of the
journey? And what know we of the country to which we are bound? A
little we have read thereof, and somewhat has been revealed to us by the
Spirit; but how little do we know of the realms of the future! We know
that there is a black and stormy river called “Death.” God bids us cross it,
promising to be with us. And, after death, what cometh? What
wonder-world will open upon our astonished sight? What scene of glory
will be unfolded to our view? No traveller has ever returned to tell. But we
know enough of the heavenly land to make us welcome our summons
thither with joy and gladness. The journey of death may be dark, but we
may go forth on it fearlessly, knowing that God is with us as we walk
through the gloomy valley, and therefore we need fear no evil. We shall be
departing from all we have known and loved here, but we shall be going to
our Father’s house — to our Father’s home, where Jesus is — to that
royal “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
This shall be our last removal, to dwell for ever with Him we love, in the
midst of His people, in the presence of God. Christian, meditate much on
heaven, it will help thee to press on, and to forget the toil of the way. This
vale of tears is but the pathway to the better country: this world of woe is
but the stepping-stone to a world of bliss.
“Prepare us, Lord, by grace divine,
For Thy bright courts on high;
Then bid our spirits rise, and join
The chorus of the sky.”