| Finding the Way |
Chapter 17 |
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We love our church services. We enjoy the fellowship. We are glad to sing together, to pray together, and to worship together. That is well. But what do we do when we are warmed? What is the fruit, the outcome of our enjoyment? While we are at our worship, singing our hymns of love, looking at the glory of the face of Christ, our hearts aglow with adoration, there are lost ones in homes all along our streets; there are sorrowing ones, needing our sympathy, our comfort, the touch of our hand; there are tempted ones almost yielding, almost falling away into eternal death, whom we may hearten and rescue. Let us not forget that the purpose of the blessing that comes to us in our devotions does not end with itself, is not meant merely to warm and gladden us, but to send us out to become a greater blessing to others. What are we doing with the heavenly gifts God is sending to us? If we are doing nothing with them, if we do not go out from our enjoyment to be a blessing to others, we are missing the blessing it was meant we should receive. George Macdonald says:
“Go thou into thy closet; shut thy door;
And pray to Him in secret; He will hear you.”
The closet is where we meet God. It is the Holy of holies. But it is not the only place to worship God – no true worship ever ends there. Besides, we worship that we may be ready to serve. So the call comes to him who is enjoying the rapture of communion:
“Hark, hark, a voice amid the quiet intense!
It is thy duty waiting thee without.
Rise from they knees in hope, the half of doubt;
A hand doth pull thee–it is Providence;
Open thy door straightway and get thee hence;
Go forth into the tumult and the shout;
Work, love, with workers, lovers, all about.”
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