THE FAMILY ALTAR

October 13.

"Let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall

reap, if we faint not." Gal. 6:9

Faith makes the Christian, deeds of love prove the Christian.

And yet, how that old heathen emperor who was wont to exclaim :

"I have lost a day/' when he had done no deed of kindness, puts

so many a Christian to shame! Why do we so often hold back in

doing good? Is it because we see how little others do ; or because

so many demands — we often think too many demands — are made

on our charity; or because our acts of helpful love do not meet

with the gratitude and appreciation they deserve in our eyes ? But

away with all such selfish thoughts ! Did our Lord grow weary in

well-doing? Did He always find the praise and gratitude His self-

sacrificing love deserved? We know He did not. And yet He

never wearied of helping and teaching, and suffering wrong, and

finally He died even for His enemies. Or are we to do good only

for the sake of being seen and praised of men, as the vain Pharisees

did in our Savior's time? Does our Lord not tell us to do our

good deeds in secret, not letting our left hand know what our right

hand does, and that our Father who seeth in secret will Himself

reward us openly ? Yea, has not our heavenly Father rewarded and

paid us in advance for all the good we do ? Luther one day rightly

remarked to his friend Jonas, who, giving a beggar an alms, ex-

claimed, "Who knows when God will pay me back." "Jonas," said

Luther, "God has paid you in advance long ago." What would we

have or be without God's boundless blessings? So let us do good

wherever we can out of gratitude to God, and not grow weary;

for He does not grow weary in blessing us. Every kind word we

say, every kind act we do for His sake is rich seed for eternity,

and even there will meet with our heavenly Fathers great reward.

Take my life, and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;

Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love;

Take my feet, and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing

Always, only for my King;

Take my lips, and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.