For the Master’s Use
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 2 Timothy 2:20, 21.
The Master has given to every man his work. He has given to every man according to his ability, and his trust is in proportion to his capacity. . . .
Let none mourn that they have not larger talents to use for the Master. . . . Go to work with steady patience and do your very best, irrespective of what others are doing. “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Let not your thought or your words be, “O that I had a larger work! O that I were in this or that position!” Do your duty where you are. Make the best investments possible with your entrusted gift in the very place where your work will count the most before God. . . . Be not envious of the talents of others, for that will not increase your ability to do a good or a great work. Use your gift in meekness, in humility, in trusting faith, and wait till the day of reckoning, and you will have no cause for grief or shame. . . .
Do not aspire to do some great service when the duty of today has not been done with fidelity. Take up the commonplace care, trade on the humble talent with a solemn sense of your responsibility for the right use of every power, every thought, that God has given you. God asks no less of the lowliest than of the most exalted; each must do his appointed work with cheerful alacrity, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. . . . The church of God is made up of persons of different abilities. Like vessels of various dimensions, we are placed in the house of the Lord; but it is not expected that the smaller vessels will contain all that the larger ones will hold. All that is required is that the vessel shall be full and hold according to its ability. If you perform faithfully the duties in your path you will be an acceptable servant, an honored vessel.
That I May Know Him p. 329
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Prayer Requests
—–Dave and Marie need prayers for an ongoing problem. Lee
—– Thursday night had a severe asthma attack with difficult breathing. By early AM Jerry rushed me to the ER . . . . After a breathing treatment was 95% better….got some meds and inhaler and back to his house….my lungs nearly close each time I come up their stairs….will be glad to see my Dr. and what is going on. They saw something on the X-ray but hoping antibiotics will clear it. . . God is the best physician and I trust him totally…I am at peace. But still difficulty breathing most of the time. Carol
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Dear Friends,
Esther asked me to write down all the family stories that I could remember so that none would be lost as time goes by. It has turned into a genealogy as well. One of the memories is one that my mother used to speak about when she reminisced.
Before my grandfather was married to my grandmother, he had married a girl from Canada. This young lady had never been away from her mother before and was terribly homesick. She was such a “mama’s girl” that her mother even went with them on their honeymoon.
Over the next few years, a boy (Edwin Harmon Jr.) and a girl (Dorothy) were born to brighten their home. Sadly, those two little ones did nothing to take away their mother’s homesickness. A few years later, she took those children who were so precious to my grandfather and returned to her country and to her mother’s house. This broke my grandfather’s heart.
How my grandfather missed his children. Even after he married my grandmother and had two little girls, he often thought wistfully of his son and other daughter and sent letters to them assuring them that they were dear to his heart.
One day, about fifteen years after she had taken his children from him, they returned for a visit. It was a joyous time for all. My grandfather, who rarely smiled was all smiles to have all of his children with him. Although Ed and Dorothy had to return to Canada, that visit assured him that they had not forgotten him. Although he never saw Dorothy again, Ed came back for a visit one time when I was about six or seven. Again my grandfather was happy.
Even more than my grandfather missed his children, does our Heavenly Father miss having a close fellowship with us. How His Great Heart of Love yearns to have us spend quality time with Him. He intently listens for our prayer of praise assuring Him of our love because of His great sacrifice and love for us. “We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” 1 John 3:1; John 3:16, 17 Even though we have strayed from Him, even though we have disappointed Him, He has not forsaken us. With lovingkindness, He assures us, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isa 49:15, 16 Praise the Lord!!!
Jesus told a story illustrating our Heavenly Father’s wonderful love. “And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” Luke 15:11-24
May our hearts swell with thanksgiving and praise to the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful love for us. May we “love the Lord [our] God with all [our] heart, and with all [our] soul, and with all [our] mind, and with all [our] strength. Matt 12:30 May we daily keep in close fellowship with the One Who loves us so is my prayer.
Rose