the children of Israel had forsaken His covenants and killed all the faith ful prophets. In Elijah’s dejection, however, he learned that there were seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal. We do not have time to go into every detail, however, the next thing that happened was that God put Elijah to sleep after a celes tial dinner served by the ravens. Here was an unemployed prophet who found life difficult. Many people up in years have found that life no longer has any meaning. Too many wives want their husbands to retire early and as a result they die be cause they are all of a sudden without activity. When you do retire maintain some positive interests in life. Make sure that you have planned a program which includes the Lord’s work. In the case of Elijah, God graciously sent him Elisha as a companion. These incidents in the life of the old proph et simply reveal to us that there are things we must have in our lives in order to maintain a proper perspec tive. We all need work, recreation, and worship. Remember, not only boys and girls need good food; we all do! When we are “under par” physically, we be come irritable and our capacity goes down. Let us not overlook the dimen sion of exercise. Yes, there needs to be the perfect balance between work, play, and love. A mother’s relation ship to work and guiding the destinies of young impressionable lives is a high and holy calling of God. The education of human souls, the caring for loved ones is the most meaningful purpose anyohe could have. Let us give thanks to the Lord that He knows our hearts and the heavi ness of our toils. We can be grateful that He made life so that we need to work. It is certainly not to be looked upon as a curse. With all our labors, however, do not forget we all need rest. Do not cast a covetous eye at the idle, however, for there is no joy in these things. Let us face our tasks with the power and strength the Lord waits to give us through His blessed Holy Spirit.
S P I R I T U A L G R O W T H No parent has ever had to force his child to grow physically. This is a nat u ral act fo r all o f us. What is true in this realm , however, doesn’t alw ays fo l low spiritually. As believers we are ex horted to grow in grace. Too many o f us are stunted and are really what m ight be called “spiritual pygm ies.” Our ma turity in Christ can’t be m easured by the fa c t that the calendar tells us we are getting older. Some people have known the L ord fo r years and yet they are still babes in Christ. As a child you may rem em ber having your grow th recorded on one o f the doorposts o f the home. This was a ready referen ce showing one’s physical progress. Wouldn’t it be won derfu l i f we could have such a standard fo r our spiritual growth? Can you look back five, ten or fifteen years and see the m arked stages o f your spiritual depth and maturity? No attainment o f older age guarantees maturity in the things o f God. This can only be found when one comes to Christ, daily m editating in the study o f H is Word. “But grow in grace and in the know ledge o f our Lord and Saviour, Jesu s Christ.” O U R I N T E R P R E T E R A little girl wanted to do something nice fo r h er fa th er who would soon be home from work. She had gathered some interesting w ild flow ers from a nearby vacant lot. With a rm s l o a d e d she brought them into the k i t c h e n and asked, “Mommie, w ill you arrange these fo r Daddy? H e’ll be here pretty soon. 1 want him to know I picked them my self.” The m other sm iled in agreem ent as the little lass ran back out to play. B efo re she arranged them in a vase, however, the m other readily realized that she would have to do some carefu l sorting. H er little girl had picked a number o f w eeds among the flow ers. In her youthful enthusiasm she couldn’t tell the difference. How this reminds us o f what the Holy Spirit does on our behalf. He takes our prayers, and, as it were, sorts them out presenting them to the Heavenly F ath er. The B ible tells us that “We know not what we should pray fo r as we ought, but the Spirit H im self mak- eth intercession fo r us w ith groanings which cannot be uttered.” With such a blessed privilege let us avail ourselves o f praying in the name o f the Lord Jesu s Christ, through the Holy Spirit, to God, our heavenly F ath er. 12
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