Beautiful enough to be the epitaph on our gravestone
We do not know, when we are aiming for immortality, by what deeds or words of ours — we shall be remembered. It may be the most obscure aspect of our life, which shall shine with the most radiant glory. Let us, then, seek to make everything we do, beautiful enough to be the epitaph on our gravestone. To neglect the least duty, may be to spoil the way in which we are remembered. One opportunity missed, may hurt the rest of our reputation. If our hearts are always full of love — then our lives will be full of gentle deeds which will please God and bless the world. Then we shall write our names where . . .
no floods of years,
no wasting tooth of decay,
no hungry waves of time eating away the rock we stand on
— can ever destroy the record of our holy life!
We do not know, when we are aiming for immortality, by what deeds or words of ours — we shall be remembered. It may be the most obscure aspect of our life, which shall shine with the most radiant glory. Let us, then, seek to make everything we do, beautiful enough to be the epitaph on our gravestone. To neglect the least duty, may be to spoil the way in which we are remembered. One opportunity missed, may hurt the rest of our reputation. If our hearts are always full of love — then our lives will be full of gentle deeds which will please God and bless the world. Then we shall write our names where . . .
no floods of years,
no wasting tooth of decay,
no hungry waves of time eating away the rock we stand on
— can ever destroy the record of our holy life!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
What are you doing with your time?
"Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise — making the most of the time" Ephesians 5:15-16
Our days, as God gives them to us — are like beautiful summer fields.
The hours are like trees with their rich fruit, or vines with their blossoms of purple clusters.
The minutes are blooming flowers, and silvery blades of grass, and stalks of wheat with their golden grains.
Oh the endless, blessed possibilities of the days and hours and minutes — as they come to us from God's hands!
But what did you do with yesterday? How does the little acre of that one day look to you now?
What are you doing with your time? Every moment God gives us, has in it a possibility of beauty or usefulness — as well as something to be accounted for. Are we using our time for God?
"Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life!" Psalm 39:4
"Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise — making the most of the time" Ephesians 5:15-16
Our days, as God gives them to us — are like beautiful summer fields.
The hours are like trees with their rich fruit, or vines with their blossoms of purple clusters.
The minutes are blooming flowers, and silvery blades of grass, and stalks of wheat with their golden grains.
Oh the endless, blessed possibilities of the days and hours and minutes — as they come to us from God's hands!
But what did you do with yesterday? How does the little acre of that one day look to you now?
What are you doing with your time? Every moment God gives us, has in it a possibility of beauty or usefulness — as well as something to be accounted for. Are we using our time for God?
"Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life!" Psalm 39:4
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Nevertheless, not as I will
"O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Matthew 26:39
We pray earnestly, pressing our very heart into heaven — but it is for the doing of our own will that we ask, not for the doing of God's will. Do we have a true childlike spirit, when we insist on having our way with God, pushing our will without regard to His?
Are we not God's children? Should we not learn obedience and submission in all things to Him? No prayer is acceptable to God which, after all its intensity and effort, is not still left to God's choice, and given to His superior wisdom. Who but He knows what is best for us?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Matthew 26:39
We pray earnestly, pressing our very heart into heaven — but it is for the doing of our own will that we ask, not for the doing of God's will. Do we have a true childlike spirit, when we insist on having our way with God, pushing our will without regard to His?
Are we not God's children? Should we not learn obedience and submission in all things to Him? No prayer is acceptable to God which, after all its intensity and effort, is not still left to God's choice, and given to His superior wisdom. Who but He knows what is best for us?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The treadmill which never ends
There is nothing like life's drudgery to make men and women of us. You chafe under it. You sigh for relief to be freed from bondage to long hours, duties, tasks, appointments, rules — to the treadmill which never ends.
Yet this is God's school for you. It may be a cross. Yes, but all true blessing comes to us hidden under the ruggedness and the heaviness of a cross. We do not grow best in easy, comfortable living. Accept your treadmill, your plodding along, your dull tasks — and do everything well, and you will grow in strong and noble Christian character!
There is nothing like life's drudgery to make men and women of us. You chafe under it. You sigh for relief to be freed from bondage to long hours, duties, tasks, appointments, rules — to the treadmill which never ends.
Yet this is God's school for you. It may be a cross. Yes, but all true blessing comes to us hidden under the ruggedness and the heaviness of a cross. We do not grow best in easy, comfortable living. Accept your treadmill, your plodding along, your dull tasks — and do everything well, and you will grow in strong and noble Christian character!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Eloquence of Godly Living
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1
Tongues of angels without love to inspire their silvery melody, are but tinkling cymbals. Life itself is infinitely more influential than speech. Character far surpasses strong speeches, as a force for change in this world. The standard of words is a false one, in the estimating of the value and power of Christian workers. Do what you have gifts to do — but be sure that your heart is in it. Make your personal character a strong force in the world. Then when the sounds of silvery speech have died away, your influence will still remain a living legacy in the hearts of everyone, and an unfading light in the world.
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1
Tongues of angels without love to inspire their silvery melody, are but tinkling cymbals. Life itself is infinitely more influential than speech. Character far surpasses strong speeches, as a force for change in this world. The standard of words is a false one, in the estimating of the value and power of Christian workers. Do what you have gifts to do — but be sure that your heart is in it. Make your personal character a strong force in the world. Then when the sounds of silvery speech have died away, your influence will still remain a living legacy in the hearts of everyone, and an unfading light in the world.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Other people's awkwardness and clumsiness
"Love . . .
bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things."
1 Corinthians 13:7
Most of us are awkward in performing even our most loving deeds. We must learn to be patient, then — with other people's awkwardness and clumsiness. Their hearts may be gentler than their hands. Do not misinterpret their actions, judging . . .
the wrong motive, where purest love is meant;
indifference, where affection is the warmest;
insult, where honor was meant.
Away with petty suspicions! Be patient even with people's true faults. Let us train ourselves to discover the best in every act of others, to believe the best always of people and their actions, and to find some beauty in everything they do.
"Love . . .
bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things."
1 Corinthians 13:7
Most of us are awkward in performing even our most loving deeds. We must learn to be patient, then — with other people's awkwardness and clumsiness. Their hearts may be gentler than their hands. Do not misinterpret their actions, judging . . .
the wrong motive, where purest love is meant;
indifference, where affection is the warmest;
insult, where honor was meant.
Away with petty suspicions! Be patient even with people's true faults. Let us train ourselves to discover the best in every act of others, to believe the best always of people and their actions, and to find some beauty in everything they do.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Possessing and Giving
It is not having that makes us great.
You may have the largest abundance of God's gifts . . .
of money,
of abilities,
of power,
of influence,
of noble qualities —
yet if you only hold and hoard what you have for yourself — you are not great.
We are great, only in the measure that we bless others. We are God's stewards, and the gifts which come to us are His, not ours — and are to be used as He would use them. When we come to Christ's feet in consecration — we lay all that we have before Him. He accepts our gifts; and then putting them back into our hands, He tells us to go now and use them to bless others.
It is not having that makes us great.
You may have the largest abundance of God's gifts . . .
of money,
of abilities,
of power,
of influence,
of noble qualities —
yet if you only hold and hoard what you have for yourself — you are not great.
We are great, only in the measure that we bless others. We are God's stewards, and the gifts which come to us are His, not ours — and are to be used as He would use them. When we come to Christ's feet in consecration — we lay all that we have before Him. He accepts our gifts; and then putting them back into our hands, He tells us to go now and use them to bless others.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Prayer in Busy Days
"Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place" Mark 6:31
It is in prayer . . .
that God shows His face to His children,
that they have visions of His beauty and glory,
that the sweet promises of His love come down as gifts into their hearts,
that they are transformed into His likeness.
If you wish to be blessed, allow many seasons of prayer into your busy, harassed, tempted, and struggling life. It is in these quiet moments, that you really grow. Somewhere in every stressful, frantic day, get a little "silent time" for prayer. It will bring Jesus down into your heart, and make you strong for His service.
"Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place" Mark 6:31
It is in prayer . . .
that God shows His face to His children,
that they have visions of His beauty and glory,
that the sweet promises of His love come down as gifts into their hearts,
that they are transformed into His likeness.
If you wish to be blessed, allow many seasons of prayer into your busy, harassed, tempted, and struggling life. It is in these quiet moments, that you really grow. Somewhere in every stressful, frantic day, get a little "silent time" for prayer. It will bring Jesus down into your heart, and make you strong for His service.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Our mission in life
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." Psalm 32:8
We should never be anxious about our mission in life. Nor should we perplex ourselves in the least, as to try to know what God wants us to do, and what role He wants us to fill. Our whole duty — is to do the work of the present hour well.
There are some people who waste entire years wondering what God would have them do, expecting to have their life's work pointed out to them. But that is not the divine way. If you want to know God's plan for you — do God's will each day; that, indeed, is God's plan for you in the here and now. If He has a wider sphere, and larger responsibility for you — He will bring you to it at the right time, and then you will know what will be God's plan for you, and your next mission.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." Psalm 32:8
We should never be anxious about our mission in life. Nor should we perplex ourselves in the least, as to try to know what God wants us to do, and what role He wants us to fill. Our whole duty — is to do the work of the present hour well.
There are some people who waste entire years wondering what God would have them do, expecting to have their life's work pointed out to them. But that is not the divine way. If you want to know God's plan for you — do God's will each day; that, indeed, is God's plan for you in the here and now. If He has a wider sphere, and larger responsibility for you — He will bring you to it at the right time, and then you will know what will be God's plan for you, and your next mission.
~J. R. Miller~
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