Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Matthew 24:44.
We are incapable of looking into the future, which often causes us disquietude and unhappiness. But one of the greatest evidences we have of the loving-kindness of God is His concealment of the events of the morrow. Our ignorance of tomorrow makes us more vigilant and earnest today. We cannot see what is before us. Our best-laid plans sometimes seem to be unwise and faulty. We think, “If we only knew the future!” But God would have His children trust in Him and be ready to go where He shall lead them. We know not the precise time when our Lord shall be revealed in the clouds of heaven, but He has told us that our only safety is in a constant readiness–a position of watching and waiting. Whether we have one year before us, or five, or ten, we are to be faithful to our trust today. We are to perform each day’s duties as faithfully as though that day were to be our last.
We are not doing the will of God if we wait in idleness. To every man He has given his work, and He expects each one to do his part with fidelity. . . . As never before, resistance must be made against sin–against the powers of darkness. The time demands energetic and determined activity on the part of those who believe present truth. They should teach the truth by both precept and example.
If the time seems long to wait for our Deliverer to come, if, bowed by affliction and worn with toil, we feel impatient for our commission to close, and to receive an honorable release from the warfare, let us remember–and let the remembrance check every murmur–that God leaves us on earth to encounter storms and conflicts, to perfect Christian character, to become better acquainted with God our Father and Christ our Elder Brother, and to do work for the Master in winning many souls to Christ, that with glad heart we may hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant; . . . enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:23).
That I May Know Him p. 358
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Prayer Requests
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Dear Friends,
One summer we lived in a campground in order to save up money for a mobile home. Ronnie Jay was six at the time. The owner of the campground took care of her grandson, Lindon, who was about the same age, so boys had many good times together. What one of them didn’t think of the other did, so life was interesting.
Some of the things they did got them into trouble. Esther Marie was three years younger and the boys resented her following them wherever they went. I had to watch them very carefully or they would lead her off into the woods and leave her there. The campground had a swimming pool and many of the campers enjoyed swimming. The boys decided that the toads that were abundant there would enjoy a swim too. They caught some and tossed them into the pool. They were surprised that the toads were not happy with their swim. They also found that those toads made the girls scream. That was all two little boys needed to give them entertainment. After that they tossed a few toads in occasionally just to hear the screams of fright. Of course the girls complained to the owner. That put a stop to their fun.
Those girls were afraid, too, of the bats that flew around the lights that were around the pool at night. The bats were not interested in the people, they were getting a nice meal of the insects that were attracted to the lights. But these girls did not understand, so they were frightened.
How many times we react as did those girls when put in a situation that we do not understand. How often we think God is unfair in His dealings with us, that He is “throwing toads in our life’s pool” just to watch us react and hear us scream. That is not the case at all for He is merciful and gracious and abundant in goodness and true. Indeed, He loves us with an everlasting love. (Ex 34:6,7; Jer 31:3) We do not see the whole picture. We do not see that the very thing that is so distasteful to us, is the very thing we must go through to make us ready for Heaven.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:28 Just as Job did not understand why all the trouble was happening to him, sometimes we do not understand why things are happening to us or to those we love. But God has not left us to wonder, for God’s Word reveals what goes on behind the scenes. The story of Job was written to give us comfort and hope when we are going through trials.
God comforts us with His great promises. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jer 29:11-13 “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God.” Isa 43:1-3 “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Psa 103:10-14
“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.” Psa 37:3-7
May we trust Him toeach day. May we allow Him to do in our lives what He knows is best. (Phil 2:13) May we daily look for His blessings and praise Him for them is my prayer.
Rose