To Probe the Conscience

The Government of the UK and the First Ministers of the devolved nations within it have stated that their advice and current legislation is for the general public to "travel locally," but if necessary on the "Christmas Day" ONLY to travel further afield but NOT to stay overnight on their journey to or from the visit.

I wonder how many of the Lords' people have chosen to disobey this prohibition? I KNOW that some have acted thus!

My question to those who have transgressed is simple; are you in truth prepared to flout the law out of love to family and friends, natural affection, the "honey" of the Word? And yet fail to "obey God rather than man," in order that you may declare your love for the Lord Jesus in answering the loving, longing of His heart for you to "call Him to mind," to adoringly "remember Him?"

If in all good conscience you will answer "yes," then the path you have chosen in these days of "lockdown" is one of hypocrisy and inconsistency. It is a case of unprincipled behaviour and dishonouring to the divinely exalted Name of Christ.

From the commencement of the pandemic, the Assemblies of Gods' should have bowed themselves unreservedly to the Word of God and instead of first looking at the circumstances and then up to God, it should have looked at God first and then dismissed the circumstances as of no account.

Only Joshua and Caleb among the twelve spies fully trusted in the promises Jehovah made to Israel in connection with the possession of the land of promise. The rest brought an evil report and declared "we are not able;" the product of infidelity. But Caleb would faithfully assert, "we are well able;" the language of faith. The majority saw the circumstances, great cities, high walls, and giants, and thereby caused the people to succumb to abject unbelief. Caleb and Joshua saw the circumstances from Gods' own vantage point and were ready to act in Christ-honouring faith. They simply trusted God and the word of His grace. No failure through lack of faith on their part. And remember those two alone of all that unbelieving generation received their inheritance in the land. God ever honours faith-obedience in His own beloved people.

May we humbly and lovingly impress this incident from the pages of the Holy Scriptures upon your consciences; because the Lord Jesus is being robbed of His rightful portion, (all the fat and the incense,) all the while we live in fear of "circumstances."

Numbers 13:17-33. 

Renewed Friendship

During the years from 1977 to 1985, my wife and I held Sunday School meetings in our house, every Lords' Day afternoon. We also held a mid-week meeting on a Wednesday from 1978 to 1984. Over those years 310 children attended, some just the once, others as long as the meetings continued.

I sadly allowed my employment to dictate my movements and had to abandon those who still attended when my job required me to move from Bristol to Cardiff. We lost touch with the vast majority of the children on this account. I have regretted it ever since, believing I moved outside of the will of the Lord. Although "He remained faithful" and proved "His gifts and callings were without repentance," so permitting me to serve Him in South Wales.

Wonderfully by His infinite grace, at least four of our Sunday School "pupils" were gloriously saved! Eternity will reveal whether there were more! Others also showed real interest and faithfully attended the meetings.

One young lady (among a few others) remained in touch with us each "Christmas" season by sending us a card. She (sacrificially) remained at home with her father after he was widowed, keeping him company for the remainder of his life! He only died in December 2019. learning of her loneliness I wrote a letter and inserted it in the card we sent her. We offered to meet up with her and renew our friendship with her, hoping to alleviate a little of her unhappiness. She did not reply. I left it with the Lord and continued to pray for her and the many who had touched our lives in those earlier days.

Yesterday we received the customary "Christmas" card from her with a letter. She apologised for her failure to respond to our invitation but has asked us to meet her God willing after the current lockdown restrictions are lifted.

My wife opened the mail as usual and then told me there was something that I would be pleased to see. I was delighted and thanked the Lord for this answer to prayer and the opportunity afforded to us to be of some feeble blessing to her.

What a lovely little oasis in this wild howling waste of a desert! How it uplifted our spirits in this vale of tears. May there be an abundance of glory secured for our altogether lovely Saviour as a consequence, if it would so please Him.