Friday, December 30, 2005

WHAT THEN?

When the great plants of our cities
Have turned out their last finished work;
When our merchants have sold their last yard of silk
And dismissed the last tired clerk;
When our banks have raked in their last dollar
And paid the last dividend;
When the Judge of all the earth says,
"Closed for the night,"
And ask for a balance - WHAT THEN?
-
When the choir has sung its last anthem,
And when the preacher has made his last prayer;
When the people have heard their last sermon,
And the sound has died out in the air;
When the Bible lies closed on the pulpit,
And the pews are all empty of men,
When each one stands facing his record,
And the great book is opened - WHAT THEN?
-
When the actors have played their last drama,
And the mimic has made his last fun;
When the film has flashed its last picture,
And the billboard displayed its last run;
When the crowds, seeking pleasure, have vanished,
And gone out in the darkness again;
When the trumpet of ages have sounded,
And we stand up before Him - WHAT THEN?
-
When the bugle's call sinks into silence,
And the long marching columns stand still;
When the captain repeats his last order,
And they've captured the last fort and hill;
When the flag has been hauled from the masthead,
And the wounded afield checked in,
And the world that rejected its Savior
Is asked for a reason - WHAT THEN?
-
When the Christian has finished his journey,
And his hands lay folded in rest;
When his soul is returned to the Master
Who demanded we give Him our best.
And with sorrow we hear the sad message,
"Depart for you cannot come in,
For you failed to help spread the gospel,
And left it to others" – WHAT THEN?


Last verse added by Tom Wacaster
"The Songs & Devotions of David"
Volume 3, pp. 24-25

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

A Weak Christian

Weakness rarely receives praise, regardless of the sphere in which that weakness exists. In athletics, your opponent will study you to determine your weakness. The same could be said in a chess tournament. In other cases, weakness might refer to an illness that has left a person without strength. Regardless of the sphere, weakness implies vulnerability to attack. Therefore, we should consider this underlying theme when we read Paul’s exhortation telling us to “support the weak” (1 Th. 5:14). Christians have a ruthless enemy in Satan (1 Pet. 5:8), and like a lion stalking an antelope, the devil preys on weakness.

Weak Christians are those people who constantly require assistance and attention in spiritual matters in order to keep them from completely abandoning their Lord. They have had problems letting go of the life they led prior to their conversion (Col. 3:5-11), and after months and even years of opportunities to learn, they still have difficulty overcoming the same temptations they faced when they first obeyed. They may attend regularly or sporadically, but their weakness limits their involvement in the church because they never really committed to that new way of life.

Weak Christians need support from those who are stronger and more experienced in the faith in order to handle the problems inherent in life. But at some point, those weak Christians have to exercise their faith (Jas. 1:2-4) so that it might grow and stand on their own faith rather than being propped up by others. Weak Christians must move beyond “I know God says that, but...” to making their faith active and strong so that they might one day help others. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (Jas. 1:22).

by Kevin Rhodes