by Dr. Ralph L. Keiper
SERVING AND WAITING I T IS EXTREMELY INTERESTING to real ize that our Lord closes the verses of the Olivet Discourse with a warn ing to us. First of all, we are to be ready. Then we are to be faithful. Finally, we are to be watchful. Of course, He is speaking primarily to His disciples. There are, however, some invaluable spiritual truths here for us today. We find Jewish men who were in terested in the restoration of their na tion. The principles Christ suggests to them are fitting for us to heed as well. The coming of the Lord Jesus for His Church will be just as sud den. We, the people of His sovereign grace, who make up His body, ought to be on the alert for this blessed day. In Matthew 24:42 we read these words, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” We must have a motive to be on the alert. We never know when the Lord will come. Fear is certainly not the correct motive. If you are doing the right and acceptable thing, if you are walking in the wav of the Lord, pleas ing Him, and He should suddenly come, you will not be disturbed. In fact, if you knew the very hour of His coming, you could look forward to it. Actually, the motive is not fear but joy and anticipation. There was a carnival in the city of New Orleans during Lincoln’s time which featured a balloonist. Each day he ascended at a certain hour and was watched by the multitudes. He was dressed in a brilliantly colored uni form. On one occasion, as he was mak ing his descent, he floated over a cot ton field where a colored man was working. The fellow was oblivious to the balloonist. Suddenly, looking up into the heavens, he saw the balloon ist descending. His eyes sparkled in the anticipation of what he was see ing, not realizing fully what it was. He thought it was the Lord and went
over to the fellow to say, “Hello Mas ter Jesus, how’s your Pa?” Carl Sand berg points out that this was Lin coln’s favorite story. It illustrates a wonderful point. Do you have a peace ON THE MORNING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY This is the month, and this is the happy morn Wherein the Son of heaven's eter nal King, Of blessed maid, and virgin mother born. Our great redemption from above did bring; For so the holy sages once did sing, That He our deadly forfeit should release, And with His Father work us a per petual peace. That glorious Form, that Light insuf ferable. And that far-beaming blaze of majesty, Wherewith He wont at heaven's high council table, To sit the midst of triune unity, He laid aside; and here with us to be, Forsook the courts of everlasting day, And chose with us a darksome house of mortal clay. See how from far upon the eastern road The stay-led wizards haste with odours sweet: O run, prevent them with thy hum ble ode, And lay it lowly at His blessed feet; Have thou the honour first, thy Lord to greet. And join thy voice unto the angel choir, From out his secret altar touched with hallowed fire. — John Milton (1608-1674) and a quietness in your heart? Do you have the assurance that you have been pleasing the Lord? Instead of being frightened, if He should come, could 5
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