THE FAMILY ALTAR

August 18.

"Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick." John 11:3.

The two sisters, Mary and Martha, no doubt, nursed their

brother Lazarus very tenderly when he fell sick. But the greatest

act of kindness they showed him was when they sent for help to

Jesus. We know how willingly the Lord complied with their tender

appeal. Though He tarried for a while at the place where He was,

He finally came to their help and dried their tears by raising

Lazarus from the dead. When sickness comes into our homes, we

do not delay sending for the doctor; but are we so anxious in

appealing to the Lord Jesus for help as were these two sisters?

The Lord loves us and our sick ones just as tenderly as He loved

Martha, and her sister and Lazarus; He loved Himself to death

for us. Do we send our prayer: "Lord, behold, he (or she) whom

Thou lovest is sick," up to His throne of mercy in the days of

sickness, and above all do we send for His servant, the pastor, to

come and comfort, warn and instruct and cheer us with God's

holy Word ? For the Lord Himself is present in His divine Word,

present with His saving grace and heart-sustaining comfort and

help. In larger congregations it is impossible for the pastor to

know when any in his flock fall sick. It is the duty of the members

to notify him, as the apostle admonishes : "Is any sick among you ?

Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over

him." (Jas. 5, 14.) But there are also foolish Christians, even

doctors — who ought to know better — who will not have the pastor

called in to see the sick, even if they know that the patient cannot

recover. They say: "It will excite the patient and make him

worse." How do they know? If they keep the saving Word of

God from the patient who now perhaps dies in his unforgiven sin,

God will require his blood at their hands. But where Jesus comes

to those shut in by reason of sickness, even though the patient

dies, as did Lazarus, it is nevertheless true what our Savior said

of Lazarus : "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of

God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."

Shut in with Christ ! Oh, wonderful thought !

Shut in with the peace His sufferings brought:

Shut in with the love that wields the rod;

Oh, company blest! shut in with God!