No memory will keep you warm on a cold night, or have the coffee hot when you come in from the rain.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Man From the Broken Hills)
“She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle.”
–Proverbs 31:27 (HCSB)
———————–
One of my resolutions has been to read more of the great men of faith. I am currently reading Pink’s book about Elisha and just finished reading Stanley’s book, How I Found Livingstone. This book is mostly about the travels of Stanley in his search for David Livingstone, but upon locating the missionary he writes much about the character of the man. Here are a couple of excepts from the book.
“As this was an unusually long march, I doubted if the Doctor [Livingstone] could march it, because his feet were so sore, so I determined to send four men back with the kitanda; but the stout old hero refused to be carried, and walked all the way to camp after a march of eighteen miles. He had been stung dreadfully in the head and in the face; the bees had settled in handfuls in his hair; but, after partaking of a cup of warm tea and some food, he was as cheerful as if he had never travelled a mile.” (Sir Henry M. Stanley)
“To the stern dictates of duty, alone, has he [Livingstone] sacrificed his home and ease, the pleasures, refinements, and luxuries of civilized life. His is the Spartan heroism, the inflexibility of the Roman, the enduring resolution of the Anglo-Saxon–never to relinquish his work, though his heart yearns for home; never to surrender his obligations until he can write Finis to his work.” (Sir Henry M. Stanley)
Such men truly have had an experience with the Lord. There is something deep in their soul that they understand and that drives them to such dedication. Not that we, in our comfort, do not love the Lord, but He sets forth certain men and women to do work for him that, in which we stand in awe. In reading of Livingstone and others, I can understand the words of the writer of Hebrews, “men of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38, NASB).
—————————
Which way are you going in life, backward or forward? There is no such thing as neutral in the journey of life. Life, especially for the Christian, is never static. One must either grow in grace, or there is a backsliding and deterioration. We cannot allow ourselves to drift; that is one reason why doctrine is so important. It gives us stability as we bring it into our soul.
“The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied with his.”
–Proverbs 14:14(NASB)
There are times when you may not have that assurance that you are a Christian. If so, examine yourself. “Worldliness, carnal indulgence of any kind, unfaithfulness as to your Christian responsibilities, the harboring of malice or ill-will toward others–all or any of these things are calculated to destroy your sense of assurance.” (Henry A. Ironside)
Dare to plod forward, though the way, at times, even uphill. Go forward, do not drift and do not slide backward. In other words, do not become careless in your walk with the Lord. Give diligence, especially in the time in which we live to walk with Him.