We Should Pray, Work, and Help Our Neighbor (Pasche)
"If any would not work, neither should he eat." 2 Thess. 8,10.
A faithful Christian, sorely distressed because he did not know how to support himself and his family during a time of business depression, did not know what to do. He was told by a good friend to do three things: first, to pray devoutly and fervently; secondly, to perform his daily labors conscientiously and diligently; thirdly, to be careful not to squander and waste. This kindled new courage in the poor Christian’s heart; it taught him, first, to kneel down and pray: “Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens.” It also induced him to work. And it reminded him of the duty to “gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost.” Then he was sure God would cer tainly provide sufficiently for him and his household, and not only that, but He would also give him enough to enable him to help his neighbor, to do good, to communicate to others.
So it is with all of us. To obtain God’s blessing, we must work, and work diligently. There is no divine promise for the sluggard, for him who is too lazy to work. But remember, work alone is not enough. You must pray and work. Work without prayer is wasted, but the joining of both brings down upon the Christian blessings from God in abundance. Thus the 138th Psalm says: “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in His ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands.” The man who labors industriously in the fear of God has the promise that God will supply him what he needs for himself and his family; but the idler has no promise, save that poverty shall overtake him. And we can do glorious things with the results of our labor. We can execute deeds of love with them. We can make them serve Christ and extend His kingdom. We can convert them into a treasure preserved incorruptible for us in heaven. O blessed days of such a life! Not one of them is lost.
Prayer.
Bestow, O Lord, Thy grace that I may be found faithful in all things entrusted to me, not neglecting or wasting aught or causing any damage by negligence on my part. And may I never covet what is not mine or he dishonest in administering what has been placed in my charge. Preserve my health, strengthen my body, endow me with wisdom and understanding, that I may properly perform the work assigned me, that all things I do and perform may tend to Thy divine honor and to a blessed exercise of my faith. Amen.
