Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 79, 17 July 1942, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by ihe Whakatane Ministers' Association)

BE OF GOOD CHEER

■'Arc you standing at 'Wit's End Corner,' Christian, with troubled brenv? Are you thinking of what is lie lore you. And all you are bearing now? Does ail the world seem against yon And you in the battle alone? Remember —at 'Wit's End Corner' Is just where God's power is shown" Of what do you think the mmute you awaken in the morning? Arc you joyous? Do you spring up to greet the new day, eager to fill its hours to the brim? Or do you shrink from the day with its many little problems and pcrpltexities? If you were called upon to perform great heroic deeds like those of Grace Darling . . . you arc sure you would not mlrid. But its the little irritating things that make you a blanch. How are you to wrestle ivith a mounting milk bill and a sinking coal fund? Did you or did you not put out the ash-bin ready for the dust-cart this morning? (That awful ash-bin?) How is it, you wonder, that the butcher treats you as David Copperlield's one treated Dora, by sending joints which came from a deformed animal, so weirdly are they shaped, so unnecessarily full of bones are they? With a vicious tug you pull up the window blind; the chord breaks! Yes, undoubtedly, life .is not a joyous thing this morning. To find that there is a nail in the sole of your slipper and that it is prodding your foot affords you a queer sense of pleasure ... Getting the childrenfs breakfast .ind preparing them for school fills the next crowded hour of glorious life, only you don't notice the glory much. How can you, with Molly's jotter lost and Tommy's sums to look over, and little Davy, poor wee soul, conning over the \vords_ of "Little lamb, who made thee?" And why, oh why, didn't you put the one timecus stitch into Molly's slack button, instead of leaving it to this morning when it needs nineteen stitches. "There now, Molly, that's all right, and please don't twiddle it off again. And you shoo the little flock out of the door. Tommy is back in a minute. He needs a sixpence for a football club, and Molly iias sudden^ 7 remembered that this is drawing day, and "Please may I have a clean duster." '"In my j r oung day,"' you beginWatch yourself when you utter those words. They are portentous! You are growing old! Your mi rid is sprouting whiskers, and there's moss on your soul. Ycu don't want that to happen, do you? Well then, stop. right here! It doesn't help matters to hear an Irate voice from upstairs asking, "What are you doing down there? The tone implies that whatever j r ou may be doing, you are wasting valn-

able time

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

'"I can't find my collar stud," the \-oiee goes on in tones charged with reproach. Clearly it's a case o!'. "The —woman —thou —gavest—me ; she has probably taken my stud to fasten her apron of lig leaves. - ' I3y the time you have speeded your lord and master on his way, you take stock of your surroundings. These look as if a cyclone had swept over them. The fire, too, is sending out the maximum amount of smoke, and the minimum amount of dame. Deal with it first. No, stay a moment. Deal with that nagging nail in your slipper. Believe me, 3'oll'H feel in a much more Christian frame of mind when your feet are comfortable. Passing the hall mirror, you get a glimpse of 3'oursclf. "Goodness!" 3 T ou exclaim. "What a ticket I ami" And 3 7 0u proceed to deal energetically with your appearance, and to do things to your hair. Now for the fire! You kneel . . . what then! It is the attitude of prayer. Why didn't you take it before? Just let me whisper the secret of this jarring morning;* it was because you have been trying to carry your burdens yourself . . . While you are on 3'our knees, mending the fire, lift up 3'our heart along with the dancing flames: "Kneel always when 3-011 light a fire Kneel reverently, and thankful be, For God's unfailing charity." This little act of worship will soothe your chafed spirit. Gracious words from the old Book will Avhisper themselves in your heart—"Beof good cheer. 1 have overcome— the world ..." ' We ask God to help us carry our ' burdens, and then we pick them up ourselves and try to carry them. We believe with our heads that He said, "Be of good cheer. * I have ' overcome the world," but we don't believe in our hearts that He is able ' to help us with the little things of ''our everyday life. "The heart's aye the pairt aye that mak's a' richt or wrang." ' BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD > This is my favourite text. ! Sweet words that soothe the aching heart, When troubled and and perplexed. Be still, be still, the Good Book says, Cease rushing to and fro. In all the fret and strain of life, ; Be still, be still, and know. ; Know that His strong protecting arm Upholds us when Ave fall ; Know that He hears our feeble prayers And answers when we call. Safe in the secret sanctuary Of silence set apart He pours the riches of His love Into a quiet heart.