T here are many lovely .epitaphs in the Bible. Abraham was called “ the friend of God,” Enoch “ walked with God,” David was “ a man after God’s own heart” and Daniel was “ beloved of God.” But one that appeals especially to those in Christian work is the one that Paul used so often of himself— "a servant of Jesus Christ.” It is difficult for folks here in the States truly to appreciate what the term in the Biblical sense means. Al most everyone has servants, but they are mechanical and run by electric ity. A human servant is very differ ent. Some who have lived in foreign countries where the luxury of wash ing machines and dishwashers is not as well known can tell us many in teresting stories regarding their ex periences with human servants. One American living abroad had a little girl come to live in her home to help with the housework. She had had a sad childhood and was delighted to have the opportunity of working in this pleasant home, and was most eager to win the approval of all. But she had one fault that almost cost her her job many times. She was c o n t i n u a l l y doing jobs that she thought would be worthwhile, but which her mistress had not asked for. Once, while the lady was away from home, the girl painted the kitch en stove tan, another time she white washed the bathroom. In every in stance. it was a work of love, but not what her employers wished—uncom manded labor, misguided zeal. Perhaps this weakness is the most prevalent one among the servants of God. Only God Himself knows how many of His servants are busy rush ing around here and there, doing this and that—all out of the goodness of their hearts—but it just isn’t the work that He wishes them to do. Moses, that wonderful Old Testa ment servant of God, has set a per fect example of Christian service. He went up into the mount alone with God for 40 days, and was given a pattern. Then he came down from the mount with his pattern and built the Tabernacle in God’s way, accord ing to God’s specifications. There was no waste of time, materials, energy or personnel, and the secret lay in the fact that before his service, he had waited upon God. There are two special advantages of this procedure. First, when diffi culties and problems subsequently
arise, one doesn’t doubt the rightness of the task. There is an inner strength that those who have waited on God have when the trials arise, because of that quiet, inward certainty that they are in God’s patch. Secondly, those who have waited upon God for His plan for service are utterly unscathed and unharmed over the opinions and criticism of others. When one has heard the voice of God, the voice of man is small indeed. But just how does one “ wait on. God” for His pattern? How does this work out in everyday life? There is of course the long waiting ore should do before the big steps of life and the large decisions. A high school student should pray for months “regarding the matter of further prep aration; each young person should spend hours in the presence of God over the choice of a life partner; the missionary candidate should wait long before Him regarding the board under which he is to serve. How much mileage is lost when one fails to stop at the crossroads and carefully read the signs—a perfect example of when haste makes waste. But, since one’s service for Christ is also made up of the daily tasks, equally important is that quick lift ing up of the heart to God in the small concerns of each day, before one lifts the telephone, before one writes a letter, before one greets a caller. Those who have tried this unanimously testify to the difference it makes throughout the day — the mistakes avoided, the blessing poured out. Samuel Brengle, that saint of the Salvation Army, said: “ If I were dy ing and had the privilege of deliver ing a last exhortation to all the Christians of the world, and that mes sage had to be condensed into three words, I would say, ‘Wait on God’.” Then he went on to add, “ There is a drawing nigh to God, a knocking at heaven’s doors, a pleading of the promises, a reasoning with Jesus, a forgetting of self, a turning from all earthly concerns, a holding on with determination to never let go, that puts all the wealth of Heaven’s wis dom and power and love at the dis posal of a little man, so that he shouts and triumphs when all others tremble and fail and fly, and becomes conqueror in the very face of death or hell.” Such waiting is spiritual ef ficiency. (From the Latin American Evangelist.) END.
the secret of efficiency
by
Elizabeth Walker Strachan
46
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker