October
8, 2003
THE
CARES OF THIS WORLD
"Now
he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the
word, and the cares of this world - - choke the word, and
he becomes unfruitful" (Matthew 13:22, NKJV).
"No
class is free from the temptation to worldly care. To the
poor, toil and deprivation and the fear of want bring perplexities
and burdens. To the rich come fear of loss and a multitude
of anxious cares. Many of Christ's followers forget the lesson
He has bidden us learn from the flowers of the field. They
do not trust to His constant care. Christ cannot carry their
burden, because they do not cast it upon Him. Therefore the
cares of life, which should drive them to the Saviour for
help and comfort, separate them from Him.
"Many
who might be fruitful in God's service become bent on acquiring
wealth. Their whole energy is absorbed in business enterprises,
and they feel obliged to neglect things of a spiritual nature.
Thus they separate themselves from God. We are enjoined in
the Scriptures to be "not slothful in business' (Romans
12:11). We are to labor that we may impart to him who needs.
Christians must work, they must engage in business, and they
can do this without committing sin. But many become so absorbed
in business that they have no time for prayer, no time for
the study of the Bible, no time to seek and serve God. At
times the longings of the soul go out for holiness and heaven;
but there is no time to turn aside from the din of the world
to listen to the majestic and authoritative utterances of
the Spirit of God. The things of eternity are made subordinate,
the things of the world supreme. It is impossible for the
seed of the word to bring forth fruit; for the life of the
soul is given to nourish the thorns of worldliness.
Many
who are working with a very different purpose, fall into a
like error. They are working for others' good; their duties
are pressing, their responsibilities are many, and they allow
their labor to crowd out devotion. Communion with God through
prayer and a study of His word is neglected. They forget that
Christ has said, 'Without Me you can
do nothing' (John 15:5). They walk apart from Christ,
their life is not pervaded by His grace, and the characteristics
of self are revealed. Their service is marred by desire for
supremacy, and the harsh, unlovely traits of the unsubdued
heart. Here is one of the chief secrets of failure in Christian
work. This is why its results are often so meager."--Christ's
Object Lessons, pp., 51, 52.
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