The Family Altar

October 9.

"And Jesus called unto Him His disciples and saith unto them:

Verily, I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in

than all they which have cast into the treasury; for all they did

cast in of their abundance ; but she of her want did cast in all

that she had, even all her living-". Mark 12:43-44

When we are asked to give for the support of our Savior's

kingdom, do we always realize that our ever-present and all-seeing

Lord still sits over against His treasury and beholds in what spirit

we give for His cause? It was not the money the rich or the poor

were giving in the Temple that He watched, but their hearts. The

poor widow's two mites please Him so much more than all the big

contributions of the rich, because she gives her few pennies with

a heart glowing in gratitude and loving confidence to her God and

Father in heaven. His Word, His sweet promises of grace cheered

and comforted her in her lonely widowhood; she trusted her all

to Him and gave her all for His kingdom. Oh, if we and our

fellow-Christians only had such hearts glowing with gratitude for

God's unspeakable gift, His dear Son and blessed Word with its

heavenly light of comfort on all our dark paths through life, how

much more abundantly and cheerfully would we give for His cause !

Then His mission treasuries in our midst would never be empty.

But because too many of us still hold to the wrong idea that they

must live by the bread their money buys them, they are afraid to

part with their money even for the Lord's sake. And yet it is the

Lord, and His saving Word, and His daily blessing that keeps them

alive; to Him they owe their all. Ah, what poor business men

and accountants so many of us are when it comes to the Lord's

business! Have we ever made a sacrifice for His cause, as this

poor widow does, or have we given only what we pleased of our

abundance ? Are we living for self or for the Lord ?

For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven,

For means of grace and hopes of heaven,

What can to Thee, 0 Lord, be given,

Who givest all?

We lose what on ourselves we spend,

We have, as treasure without end,

Whatever, Lord, to Thee we lend,

Who givest all.

Whatever, Lord, we lend to Thee,

Repaid a thousandfold will be;

Then gladly will we give to Thee

Who givest all.