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“REST IF YOU MUST, BUT DON’T QUIT”
It is said, after the death of the great Scottish preacher Robert Murray, a man came into the church previously pastored by the great man of God. He remarked to the care taker, “I sure would like to preach like Murray.” The caretaker invited him to the study of Murray, and seated him at Murray’s desk, and said: “Young man, put your elbows on the desk - now put your face in your hands, and weep over the word of God, and you might preach as he preached.” Next, the caretaker took him to the pulpit, and as he stood in the pulpit the caretaker said: “Put your face in your hands, and weep over the congregation as I have seen Murray weep, and perhaps you will preach as he preached.”
Jeremiah cried out [9:1]; “Oh, that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of my daughter of my people! Jesus left two things on earth that was a part of himself - His tears and His blood. As perfect man, He wept, as Son of God He warned. The Psalmist who wrote [126:5-6] must have been weak, for he tells of a farmer who was weak. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
Did you know that God can still use you, even when you are discouraged? If you continue to preach or teach, you may not do it with power, but God will bless the seed sown. What you do may not be often or big, but God will bless. As long as preachers preach, and teachers teach, and witnesses witness, and givers give ...”We shall reap, if we faint not.”
But there is something that is utterly fatal, absolutely terminal to the gospel and to Christian growth - quitting! All that God promises to do is conditioned on us “fainting not.” The word “faint” means “to loosen, to become relaxed.” Someone said, the word is “like the unstringing of a bow.” The hunter practices, prepares, scouts, goes, hides, waits - nothing comes! So he waits some more. Nothing. No animal is coming today. So he stands up and unstrings his bow. He is quitting for the day.
Don’t quit. Keep on keeping on. Discouraged pastor. Disillusioned pastor’s wife. Despondent elder - Sunday School teacher - Broken hearted parent. An ageing pastor determined to retire from the ministry, so one Sunday he told his congregation. “I wear two hearing aids and tri-focal glasses; I have a partial plate and I sometimes walk with a cane. It seems to me that the Lord is telling me its’ time to retire.” After the service, a white-haired lady told the pastor, “Reverend, you have misinterpreted what the Lord has been saying to you. He’s not telling you it’s time to retire; he’s telling you that if you keep going, he’ll keep you patched up.” ><))):> In “HIS” ServiceBro. Roy |