Thoughts of Grace

Luke 22:41-43
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast,
and kneeled down,
and prayed,
Saying, Father, if thou be willing,
remove this cup from me:
nevertheless not my will,
but thine,
be done.
And there appeared an angel unto him
from heaven,
strengthening him.

There is a story of a woman who had had many sorrows;
parents, husband, children, wealth, all were gone.
In her great grief she prayed for death
but death would not come.
She would not take up any of her wonted work for Christ.

One night she had a dream,
she thought she had gone to heaven.
She saw her husband and ran to him with eager joy,
expecting a glad welcome.
but, strange to say,
no answering joy shone on his face–
only surprise and displeasure.
“How did you come here?” he asked,
“They did not say that you were to be sent for today,
I did not expect you for a long time yet.”
With a bitter cry she turned from him to seek her parents.
But instead of the tender love
for which her heart was longing
she met from them only the same amazement
and the same surprised questions.
“I’ll go to my Saviooor,” she cried,
“He will welcome me if no one else does.”
When she saw Christ,
there was infinite love in His look,
but His words throbbed with sorrow as He said;
“Child, child, who is doing your work down there?”

At last she understood;
she had no right yet to be in heaven;
her work was not finished;
she had fled away from her duty.

This is one of the dangers of sorrow;
that in our grief for those who are gone
we lose our interest in those who are living,
and slacken our zeal in the work which is allotted to us.
However great our bereavements
we may not drop our tasks
until the Master calls us away.
J. R. Miller

Finish thy work, then go in peace,
Life’s battle fought and won;
Hear from the throne the Master’s voice,
“Well done! Well done!”