Ordinary
Ministry Brings Extraordinary Results
“Watch
over your own spirit and cast not away your confidence.
Then,
zealously, in dependence upon God, do the little you can do; do it well and
keep on doing it. You and I are not called upon to regulate the world nor to
stay the raging sea of human sin. Let us not attempt to wield the divine
scepter; it befits us not. Naturally, you would like to set all people rights,
and make all preachers orthodox. But, my brother, the task is beyond you. Be
careful to be right yourself in your own life, and be resolution to bear your complete, honest, obedient
testimony to all truth you know; and there leave the business, for you are not
responsible beyond your possibilities.
No
one of us is much more than an emmet on its little hill. Now, if yon tiny ant
were to indulge in serious reflections upon the state of London, and forget to
assist in the labors of the insect common wealth, it would be a foolish
creature; but if it will let those great matters alone, and go on doing its
ant-work, as an ant, it will fill its little sphere, and answer the purposes of
its maker. A mother teaching her little ones, and doing all she can to bring
them up in the fear of God; a humble village pastor with his score or two of
people around him; a teacher with her dozen children; a quiet Christian women
in her domestic circle bearing her godly testimony; a young man speaking for
Jesus to other young men-there is nothing very ambitious about the sphere of
any of these, but they are wise in the sight of the Lord. Leave the reins in
the hand of the Maker of the universe and then do what He has given you to do,
in His fear, by His Spirit, and, more will come of it than you dare to hope.
We
are like coral insects building each one his minute portion of a structure far
down in the deeps of obscurity. We cannot as yet war with those vaunted
ironclads which sweep the ocean, and hurl destruction upon cities; and yet-who
knows? We may build and build until we pile up a reef upon which the proudest
navies may be wrecked. By the steady, simple, honest, Christian up building of
holiness and truth,-defying no one, attacking no one, we may nevertheless
create a situation which will be eminently perilous to the boastful craft of
falsehood and skepticism. A holy, earnest gospel church is a grand wrecker of
susperstitution and infidelity. The life of God in man, patience in suffering,
perseverance in well dong, faithfulness to truth, prayer in the Holy Ghost,
supreme zeal for the divine glory, and unstaggering faith in the unseen God; these are our battle-axe and weapons of war;
and, by the aid of the Holy Ghost, we shall win the battle ere the day comes to
its close. Till then, O Lord, when our heart is overwhelmed, lead us to the
rock which is higher than were are!”
-C.H.
Spurgeon from Only A Prayer Meeting
Published by Christian Focus Publications Scotland 2006.
