TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
103
March., 1940
APPROACH: Last week, we learned about one of God’s ministers, the prophet Amos, who lived many years before the Lord Jesus came to earth. You remem ber how sorry Amos was for the sins of his people — because he knew that the heavenly Father is always grieved name was Hosea, which means “Help.” LESSON STORY: The people had thought that neighbor nations might help them. They were proud of their fine horses. They had even paid atten tion to idols, when all the time they should have been putting their trust only in the Lord God who loved them. Of course, the heavenly Father was grieved when they acted this way! They knew better. But do you know what He said? He invited them lovingly: “ O Israel, return unto’the Lord thy God.” He promised to “love them freely.” He said He would be “as the dew unto Israel”—strengthening them silently, sweetly, every day. He said that Israel could be beautiful and fragrant and A Baby Leper Makes A Heart Appeal T HIS tiny 9 months old baby girl is the youngest leper ever when His people do wrong. Amos told them plainly how bad their, wicked lives looked in God’s sight, and what they should do a b o u t them. Now, in His love for them, the Lord spoke to His people through an other prophet. His
to return to God, and also a prophecy of what the nation some day actually will say. 2. “He hath smitten, and he will bind us up” (v. 1). This is aU the work of God as He discip.dnea His people. Too often in the midst of affliction we re member only the smitings and forget the many times that He has bound up our wounds. But to all who truly be long to Him, the one is just as certain as the other. He chastens every son of His, yes, but He also always pours the oil of healing into our wounds. 3. “ After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up” (v. 2). Do we have here a veiled time- prophecy of God’s dealings with the na tion of Israel? Some are of that opin ion. If one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, it is interesting to re call that Israel lias now been set aside during the times of the Gentiles which have lasted about 2,500 years, which would mean that we are now living in the middle of "the third day.” The res urrection of national Israel seems to be taking place before our very eyes. 4. «He shall come unto us as the rain” (v. 3). What a beautifu} figure to ex press the blessing which will come to Israel at the Lord’s return! If you have ever seen parched fields, yellow and seared, suddenly revive and burst into the glory of growth and fruit beneath the showers of heaven, then you will understand to some extent what will happen when our Lord returns from heaven. When the earth will be parched and burned under the wickedness of men and the judgments of God, then the Lord will come down like rain upon the mown grass (Psa. 72:6). There is no doubt at all about this: “His going forth is sure as the morning” (see Ho- sea 6:3 in the Revised Version). Golden Text Illustration I J ohn 1 :9 A story is told of a woman who came in distress to a minister, carrying in her hands a mass of wet sand. “Do you see this wet sand, sir? That is I, and the multitude of my sins, which cannot be numbered.” The minister spoke calmly to her, say ing, “Go back to the beach and take a spade with you. Heap up a big mound of sand; pile it as high as you can. Then stand back on the shore and watch what happens to it when the tide comes in.” Of course when the tide flowed in, it completely swept away the pile of sand. And likewise when God forgives sin, He takes it away as completely as the in coming tide carries away the heaped-up sand.—Adapted from East and West. The Forgiving Father H osea 14 MEMORY VERSE: “Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive” (Psa. 86:5).
to enter the Soonchun Leper Col ony. Her anxious Mother, who also has leprosy, has travelled many weary miles so that she and her baby might receive the loving care and treatment found within the gates of this Christian Mission. B U T others are not so fortunate as this mother and her baby. Hundreds of sick and lonely out casts, without food and shelter stand outside the Mission com pounds, pleading to be admitted. Few can be taken in because there is no room for them, A S the joy of the Resurrection comes to you at this season, will you make a gift in Christ’s name for those who were,so near His heart? "Suffer little children to come . unto M e "
A M O T H E R ’S CARE IN A LEPER CO LON Y COSTS O N L Y $40 A BABY CAN HAVE COM PLE TE CARE FOR O N L Y _____$30
THE AMERICAN MISSION TO LEPERS INC. ROOM 5-M - - 156 FIFTH AYE., NEW YORK
A s m y EASTER Offering to the lepers I am happy to enclose $ ..,_ ... Name .*..••••••••••.«. •••••••••••••• A ddress........... •............. .............................
£ ] Complete carb of an adult, 1 year....$40 t 3 Complete care of a child, 1 year.— $30 [ 3 Build a hut for two people...—.—,—.$20 [ ] Medicine for one yaar--------- ,------- $s H .A warm blanket------------- --------------- $2
AIDS LEPER WORK OF ALL DENOMINATIONS
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