Meditation

As I meditate much and consider the growth, and lack of growth, in some areas of the church and the Lord's work, and as I consider myself and all my brothers and sisters in Christ, there are some questions that I ponder often. I would like for all of us to ponder these questions and seek a correct answer that we may save our soul and the souls of others we love more and more as we live and work together in the vineyard of the Lord.

1. Am I a problem to the church, or am I one that is helping find and solve problems? If the former, God help you. We love you and pray for your growth from childhood to manhood. If the latter, God bless you. May he add many years to your life and may he leave you here in West Plains a long time.

2. Do I encourage weak members or do I have to be encouraged by others? If the former, please do not be weary in well doing. Without such as you the cause would be lost. If the latter, please realize that those who exhort, encourage, and even rebuke your negligence love you and have high hopes that you will be able to "support the weak" when your older brother has gone to his reward.

3. Do I visit others...or do I need to be visited? If the first, you are one of God's "few". No work the Lord has commanded is neglected so much as this work. If you are the last mentioned one, we hope and pray so often that you will soon be well and with us again in the work whether your sickness be bodily or spiritual.

4. Am I an asset to the church...or a liability? If the former, great will be your reward..."Well done thou good and faithful servant." But If I am the second one mentioned, God have mercy on my soul for Jesus said, "Ye shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." (Mt. 23:13; Phil. 3:18)

5. Is the church made stronger or weaker because I am a part of it? If stronger, how vital and honored am I in God's sight. It should make me abound more and more to know good and great God is to have given me such grace and place. If I make the church weaker, should I not ponder the statement that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link? Should I not pray and study and cry for mercy, lest my weakness bring discouragement and the downfall of others.

6. If I should fail to contribute one Sunday, would it make a noticeable difference in the total offering? If it would, then God has blessed me abundantly and I am trying to show appreciation. If it would not, then I may be too poor to give much, and in the sight of God and His Son, my offering would still be missed for it might be "more" than any had put in of their abundance. But if I am not poor...or have made myself poor by spending all my income on myself, then man may not miss my offering if I were not there, but God and Christ would still notice my lack of love and expect better things of me.

7. Am I able to teach others...or do I still have to be taught year after year?

The Lord knows the answer to all these questions. May he open our eyes to the true answer.

From our archives 1967
by W. J. Stanley, Adapted