Spurgeon-Morning-September 7th

And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
(Mark 2:4 ESV)

Faith is full of inventions. The house was full, a crowd blocked up the door, but faith found a way of getting at the Lord and placing the palsied man before him. If we cannot get sinners where Jesus is by ordinary methods we must use extraordinary ones. It seems, according to Luk_5:19, that a tiling had to be removed, which would make dust and cause a measure of danger to those below, but where the case is very urgent we must not mind running some risks and shocking some proprieties. Jesus was there to heal, and therefore fall what might, faith ventured all so that her poor paralysed charge might have his sins forgiven. O that we had more daring faith among us! Cannot we, dear reader, seek it this morning for ourselves and for our fellow-workers, and will we not try to-day to perform some gallant act for the love of souls and the glory of the Lord.
The world is constantly inventing; genius serves all the purposes of human desire: cannot faith invent too, and reach by some new means the outcasts who lie perishing around us? It was the presence of Jesus which excited victorious courage in the four bearers of the palsied man: is not the Lord among us now? Have we seen his face for ourselves this morning? Have we felt his healing power in our own souls? If so, then through door, through window, or through roof, let us, breaking through all impediments, labour to bring poor souls to Jesus. All means are good and decorous when faith and love are truly set on winning souls. If hunger for bread can break through stone walls, surely hunger for souls is not to be hindered in its efforts. O Lord, make us quick to suggest methods of reaching thy poor sin-sick ones, and bold to carry them out at all hazards.

Get the Facts First

“No, Dan, I really am going to have to pass this time. I promised my wife I would have the garage clean this weekend. She is having a garage sale next week and it looks like something exploded in there. I’m going to have to leave the clubs in the trunk this weekend. I’ll have to take a rain check. Maybe next time I can join you.”

Mitch hung up is cell phone and smiled at his boy, Jessie. Jessie was ten. His wheels were turning. The next morning when Mitch drove away, Jessie stood and watched him until he drove out of sight. As soon and the car was gone, Jessie went to work.

He spent most of the day emptying out the garage, sweeping the floor, throwing away trash, organizing things, and returning everything neatly to it’s place. He worked strait through lunch without stopping to eat.

When he finished he went to get his mother. When she saw what he had done without being asked she was shocked and delighted.

“Jessie this is great. What made you decide to clean the garage without being asked?”

Jessie said, “It’s my Father’s Day gift to dad. I can’t wait ‘till he gets home. I heard him say he was not going to be able to golf Saturday morning because he had to clean the garage. Now he will be able to go. I didn’t have any money to buy him anything for Father’s Day so I cleaned the garage.”

That evening at five Jessie closed the garage door and rode his bike around in the street in front of the house watching for his Dad to drive in from work. By five-thirty he had still not come home. At six his mother called him in to eat.

“Jessie, your Dad called. He is going to eat on the way home. He had to stay a little late. You haven’t had anything to eat today. Why don’t you wash up come in?”

Jessie laid his bike down and ran in to eat. He was in a hurry because he didn’t want to miss seeing the look on his Dad’s face when he saw the work he had done in the garage. Toward the end of his meal he heard a loud horn sounding impatiently in the drive. He ran for the door. Out in the drive was his dad with a scowl on his face.

“Jessie, get this bike out of the way. How many times do I have to tell you not to leave your bike in the driveway? Answer me. How many times?” Jessie’s shoulders dropped the light fled from his eyes.

“Put your bike away son. You know where it goes.”

Jessie started to answer.

“No excuses, son. No excuses. I don’t want to hear it. Put the bike away and wash up for supper. I’m sure your mother is waiting.”

Jessie quietly moved his bike into the clean garage.

I am happy to tell you this little story is pure fiction fabricated in my mind but it is true to life for many children every day. To my great grief sometimes it has been true of mine.

I am a follower of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus commanded his followers to carefully gather all the facts before they move to judgment. A wise father and husband who is devoted to following Christ will be slow to believe the worst and quick to believe the best of those around him. “Judge not” is not only a command of Christ, it is just plain good advice for Dads and husbands.

Ken Pierpont
Brook Place
Hinsdale, Illinois

A Good Thought

Hebrews 3:14

If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.