they move together to another pasture. They stick by one another. But they also shed their skin once in a while. You will notice these skins sticking on trees sometimes — they are all over the countryside. They know it is necessary to “put on a new coat.” “I have taken off my coat, how shall I put it on?” Why do you suppose these wonderful words are in the Bible? Well, it has something to do with the locust changing its skin. You know a person needs refreshing once in a while Into His Hand If I could place into a living Hand M y offering, Instead of casting it into a plate Inanimate; And if I laid my little gift Into that nail-pierced Hand So marred (because of love for me) On Calvary, How could I grudgingly complain be cause I gave too much; Or dare present to One who gave His all A gift so small? Nay, I would have Him look upon my gift Approvingly, just as He gazed upon the widow's mite With pure delight; And I would see the Hand that has received M y sacrifice, Transforming into treasures up above M y gift of love. Lord, help me see Thy Hand whene'er I give M y offering, Instead of seeing just a passing plate Inanimate! — Rev. Ulysses L. Gingrich — the old robe gets used up and you have to put on a new one, at least He wants us to do that. “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” That is what He says. You go down to the office and you are on the Board of Trade and you go all but crazy when the price goes
down, and then you are in ecstasy when the price goes up on eggs or whatever it is — you almost lose your religion. Well, you need to go home and put on that robe — the robe of righteousness. We get defiled with men cursing and telling rotten stories, so we need to draw aside ever so often and put on the robe of righteousness which is the robe of salvation. So the locusts change their skin — they have sense enough for that. I won der if you grow tired of the old life and want to put on the new life >— the new garment! To do this you must go to the Lord Jesus and He will do that for you and you will be renewed day by day as you go to Him. He will cleanse you from the sins of the day and the roughness of the walk. Go to Him at the close of the day for the new robe and then you will be fresh to go out and meet the next morning ready and sweet for God—the Word of God filling your heart, the song of the Lord filling your lips, and the work of the Lord filling your hands. Through the day you will fight the good fight. When you return home in the evening you must go to Him again for the new robe and you will be ready for another hew day. Now you know that the locusts can go anywhere they want to, but they never land on a sandbar for that has nothing on which they can feed. So the Lord wants us to learn from them that we must seek out pastures where there is spiritual food for our souls. We must not go to hear a minister who spends the hour telling yams and fails to give us the truths from God’s Word. You must look around and see where other Christians are going and getting fat by being fed on Bible teach ing, where they are worshipping, ac tive Christians. I do not mean active in holding church bazaars and dinners but active in the joy of studying the Word of God and loving to do so! If you press your search for a good, faithful minister who feeds his flock, then you will be doing just as the lo custs do and God has told us to turn to them and find their ways. 7
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs