November 30Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the Age — Matt. 28:20.
Surely He who was careful to supervise the sowing work is not less interested and careful in respect to the reaping. Let us then thrust in the sickle of Truth with energy and courage, remembering that we serve the Lord Christ, remembering that we are not responsible for the harvest but merely for our energy in gathering what ripe grain we can find. If the labor be great for the finding of a few kernels of ripe grain, we are to rejoice the more in those we do find, and learn to love and appreciate that which is scarce and precious. Let us remember, too, while using all the wisdom we can in this service, that the Lord's object in giving us a share in His work is not so much what we can accomplish as in the blessing that the labor will bring upon us—Z '01, 155 (R 2808). This is one of our Lord's last promises to the Church before His ascension. It gives the assurance, not of His bodily presence with His elect, but of His special favor, fellowship, sympathy, love, care, direction, restraint, protection, correction, encouragement, counsel and cooperation. The expression rendered "alway" should have been given as "all the days." The idea seems to be that the Lord would be with us not intermittently, but continuously, not even permitting a day to pass without His keeping His promise to the full according to the needs of His Church. Faithfully has He kept His promise, as Church history proves. We by experience and observation are living witnesses to this fact in the unfolding of the Truth, in the Harvest gatherings and siftings and in our individual lives, during this, the Laodicean period of the Church—P '33, 162. Parallel passages: Ex. 33:14, 15; Josh. 1:5, 9; Psa. 34:7; 46:1, 5, 7, 11; 105:14, 15; Isa 41:10; Jer. 15:20; Ezek. 48:35; Hag. 1:13; Zech. 2:5; John 14:16-23; 1 John 1:3. Hymns: 333, 110, 120, 242, 293, 328, 330. Poems of Dawn, 234: Our Burden Bearer. Tower Reading: Z '14, 363 (R 5587). Questions: Have I this week experienced the Lord's presence? How? What were its effects? |
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OUR BURDEN BEARER
THE little sharp vexations,
And the briers that catch and fret,
Why not take all to the Helper,
Who hath never failed us yet?
Tell Him about the heartache,
And tell Him the longings, too;
Tell Him the baffled purpose,
When we scarce know what to do.
Then, leaving all our weakness
With the One divinely strong,
Forget that we bore the burden,
And carry away the song.
THE little sharp vexations,
And the briers that catch and fret,
Why not take all to the Helper,
Who hath never failed us yet?
Tell Him about the heartache,
And tell Him the longings, too;
Tell Him the baffled purpose,
When we scarce know what to do.
Then, leaving all our weakness
With the One divinely strong,
Forget that we bore the burden,
And carry away the song.
