days were also numbered. Not wanting to worry the people at home he started back at once. Without letting anyone know, as soon as he got back he slipped in unnoticed at the Wednesday prayer meeting. He took a vacant back seat. A t the end of the service, he went quietly to the front of the room. A silence, cou pled with horror, came over the people. Death was already written across his face. He solemnly declared, “I ’m your missionary. My wife and child are buried out there in Africa. I have come home to die. This evening as you prayed I waited eagerly to see if you would keep your promise to remember us. I listened in vain. You asked the Lord for every thing connected with yourselves here in the home church. You have completely forgotten about your missionaries. Now I see why we failed so often in our en deavors. You were not holding the ropes." Can we say with Scripture and a sincerity of heart, “God forbid that I sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.” * * * The one thing worse than a quitter is the man who is afraid to begin. * * * TRUE CONFESSION The hardest words to pronounce, and some we seldom hear, are, “I am sorry.” There was a poor man who stole from his rich neighbor. As his conscience bothered him, however, he finally came to confess his deed and ask forgiveness, “Sir, I stole this rope from you, and I’m sorry.” The wealthy man was touched with the neighbor’s seeming hu mility and responded, “Well I ’m glad you told me. Since you don’t have much, however, I ’ll forgive you, and you just keep the rope.” It wasn’t long after, however, that the man’s conscience, still working on him, brought him back. This time, the story was different as he sheep ishly explained, “Sir, I forgot to tell you that there was a cow tied to the end of that rope.” You can imagine how angry this made the rightful owner. In furiated, he storm ed, “You really weren’t sincere the first timé. You’re nothing more than a thief. I demand that you immediately restore both the cow as well as the rope.” The Bible reminds us of the impor tance of confessing our sins. This liter ally means to open our hearts to the Lord, laying them bare before Him. There are too many people who are con tent to make “rope” confessions. They 24
COURAGE IN THE CRISIS Because of indomitable courage great victories have been won. In the battle of Copenhagen in 1801, Lord Nelson was flashed a signal to withdraw his ships. Informed of the decision as it had been relayed to his command post, he took a telescope to his blind eye declaring that he could see no such signal to retreat. His ships continued to fight and as a result they defeated the Danish navy. This brave action gave a giant step for the British in sea supremacy. Nelson was made an admiral for his heroic deeds; a man who fought on bravely despite the fact that he had only one eye and one arm. These handicaps were the making of him, and his name has gone down in naval history. How easy it is to become discouraged and defeated by difficulties and hardship. Some peo ple lose heart even with old age. The Bible gives us some wonderful examples of those who have succeeded despite these circumstances. Moses was slow of speech but even with a stammering tongue he became a great leader for God after reaching 80 years of age. Paul suffered a thorn in the flesh which caused him to endure much pain. Yet the Lord gave him the strength to walk thousands of miles during his life, tell ing others the Gospel story. Let us take heart with the wonderful words of assur ance, “My grace is sufficient for thee." May we rest on the confidence of Scrip ture and say, “My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus," * * * Too many modern churches aren't sanc tuaries for sinners, but rather hot houses for saints. * * * HOLDING THE ROPES A young missionary couple were say ing farewell to their little country church as they set sail for an African outpost. It was an extremely hard and dangerous area, so much so that the place had become known as “the white man’s grave." The young man testified, “My wife and I have a strange foreboding as we go. It almost seems that we are descending into a pit. Yet, we are will ing to go for Jesus’ sake if you will faithfully promise to hold the ropes through prayer.” Each one of them readily agreed that they would. Less than two years later both the wife and her little baby had died with the dread jungle fever. The husband realized his
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