THE CALL NOT TO GO

Published on January 2017 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 81 | Comments: 0 | Views: 367
of 4
Download PDF   Embed   Report

Comments

Content

THE CALL OT TO GO BY GEORGE MATHESO

"He that had been possessed with the devil prayed Him that he might be with Him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends." — Mark v. 18, 19.

THIS is a remarkable refusal of prayer. If ever prayer was uttered to which a favourable answer might have been predicted it would seem to have been this. A man who had been redeemed from his iniquity asks leave to dwell in the special presence of Jesus — in other words, to devote himself exclusively to a religious mission ; he is told to go home to his friends. His friends doubtless thought that he had shown great piety in his desire to get away from them. It must have been an extreme surprise to them when Christ sent him back. I can imagine them saying, '' How could the Lord have rejected the services of one who desired to be a missionary of His truth ! " But did He reject his services ? o ; if we think that, we have missed the point altogether. The man was

151

152 THE CALL OT TO GO under a false impression. He thought that the only way of serving Jesus was in the work of the sanctuary. Jesus told him this was a mistake. He told him that a man, that a woman, might be a missionary by the fireside. He told him that the duties of the domestic altar were as dear to the heart of God as the preaching of the Gospel or the writing of Christian tracts. He sent him home to his friends, not because he was unfit for His service, but because he was specially fit for a particular branch of His service — the family circle. I think the Gospel would have lost something without this incident. We hear a great deal about the call to leave the home and follow Jesus ; is it not well that there should at least be one call of a contrary kind — the solicitation to quit the immediate presence of Jesus and pursue the duties of the home ? My brother, my sister, I have heard thee bemoaning thy want of a mission. I have heard thee many times complaining that the duties of home forbid thee to consecrate thyself to God. I have heard thee pray for a corner in God's vineyard — for a place among evangelists, for a message to the heathen, for a district of visitation among the sick ; and I have seen thee fret because no door was opened. Did it never strike thee that the shut door was itself an answer to

THE CALL OT TO GO 153 thy prayer. Did it never strike thee that thou art the very one who asked to abide with Jesus on the sea and to whom Jesus said, " Go home to thy friends." There are those who are called to do outdoor work ; but there are those also who are called not to do outdoor work. Why not claim thy prohibition as itself a call from God. Art thou confined to the family circle — tied by the duties of the household, forced to abide at home. Does that make you less a missionary than Paul was ? ot so, my brother. God sent Paul out; but He sends thee in. The men on the sea with Jesus had a glorious mission, but not more glorious than that of the healed demoniac whom Jesus sent home. Has the Lord refused to thee the request He granted to Livingstone — the permission to go out and convert the nations. Be it so ; but remember, the refusal is as special a call to thee as the permission was to Livingstone. Go home to thy friends ! God cries to thee. Consecrate each family tie ! Light heaven on the hearth ! Plant azareth in the nursery ! Sow peace in the parlour ! Shed kindness in the kitchen ! Spread Bethany at the board ! Fill with pure literature the library! Be hospitable to the stranger in the hall ! Then shalt thou know that it was a mission call which said to thee, " Go home to thy friends.

1. 68 FREE BOOKS http://www.scribd.com/doc/21800308/Free-Christian-Books

2. ALL WRITI GS http://www.scribd.com/glennpease/documents?page=970

Sponsor Documents

Or use your account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Forgot your password?

Or register your new account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link to create a new password.

Back to log-in

Close