Tidbit Buffet

"Another Year is Dawning"

It is always challenging to approach a new year and to realize anew that our days upon this earth are so rapidly passing. How important it is that we pause with the psalmist and pray for a "heart of wisdom" that will enable us this year to live each new day in a way that brings all glory to our God.

In January of 1874, the many friends of Frances Ridley Havergal received a New Year's greeting with the heading, "A Happy New Year! Ever Such May it Be!" Following this greeting appeared her text, still considered to be one of the finest New Year's prayers of consecration ever written:

Another year is dawning, Dear Father, let it be,

In working or in waiting another year with Thee;

Another year of progress, another year of praise,

Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace;

Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;

Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;

Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love;

Another year of training for holier work above.

Another year of dawning, Dear Father, let it be,

On earth, or else in heaven, another year for Thee. Amen.

One can well imagine that those who received this greeting card from Miss Havergal that year read her words thoughtfully. They were written by one who had already become widely known throughout England as "the consecration poet." It was said of her that she always lived her words before she wrote them. Her life was one of constant and complete commitment to God. 

Her many talents-an accomplished pianist and vocalist, proficiency in seven languages, a keen mind (memorization of the entire New Testament, Psalms, Isaiah, and the Minor Prophets)-were all dedicated to serving God and others during the New Year. May that be our challenge for this New Year as well!

-Selected

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"Looking unto Jesus"

Two boys were playing in the snow one day, when one said to the other, "Let us see who can make the straightest path in the snow." His companion readily accepted the proposition, and they started. One boy fixed his eyes on a tree, and walked along without taking his eyes off the object selected. The other boy set his eyes on the tree also, and, when he had gone a short distance, he turned, and looked back to see how true his course was. He went a little distance farther, and again turned to look over his steps. 

When they arrived at their stopping place, each halted and looked back. One path was true as an arrow, while the other ran in a zigzag course. "How did you get your path so true?" asked the boy who had made the crooked steps. "Why," said the other boy, "I just set my eyes on the tree, and kept them there until I got to the end; while you stopped and looked back and wandered out of your course." This is a perfect picture of the Christian life. If we fix the eyes of our hope, our trust, and our faith upon Jesus Christ, and keep them continually fastened thereon, we will at last land at the desired haven, with flowers of victory.

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"Seven Brothers"

Seven unmarried brothers lived together in a large house. Six went out to work each day but one stayed home. He had the place all lit up when the other six arrived home from work. He also had the house warm, and most importantly, had a delicious, full-course dinner ready for his hungry brothers.

One day the six brothers decided that the one that had been staying home should go to work. "It's not fair," they said, "for the one to stay home while the others slaved at a job." So they made the seventh brother find work too. But when they all came the first night, there was no light, nor was there any warmth, and worst of all, there was no hearty dinner awaiting them. And the next night the same thing: darkness, cold, hunger. They soon went back to their  former arrangement.

It's the day of rest and worship that keeps the other six bright, warm and nourishing. When we desecrate the Lord's Day, we only hurt ourselves.

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"Abundant Fruitfulness"

"He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit"(John 15:5).

There is in the Vine such fullness, the care of the divine Husband-man is so sure of success, that the much fruit is not a demand but the simple promise of what must come to the branch that lives in the double abiding-he in Christ, and Christ in him. "The same bringeth forth much fruit." It is certain.

Have you ever noticed the difference in the Christian life between work and fruit? A machine can do work: only life can bear more fruit. A law can compel work: only love can spontaneously bring forth fruit. Work implies effort and labor: the essential idea of fruit is that it is the silent natural restful produce of our inner life.

The gardener may labor to give his apple tree the digging and manuring, the watering and the pruning it needs; he can do nothing to produce the apple: the tree bears its own fruit. So in the Christian life: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace." The healthy life bears much fruit: The connection between work and fruit is perhaps best seen in the expression "fruitful in every good work" (Colossians 1:10). It is only when good works come as the fruit of the indwelling Spirit that they are acceptable to God.

Under the compulsion of law and conscience, or the influence of inclination and zeal, men may be most diligent in good works, and yet find that they have but little spiritual result. There can be no reason but this-their works are man's effort, instead of being the fruit of the Spirit, the restful, natural outcome of the spirit's operation within us.

Let all workers come and listen to our holy Vine as He reveals the law of sure and abundant fruitfulness: "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit." The gardener cares for one thing-the strength and healthy life of his tree: the fruit follows of itself. If you would bear fruit, see that the inner life is perfectly right, that your relation to Christ Jesus is clear and close.

- Andrew Murray

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This excerpt is taken from the Christ is Victor newsletter which is produced six times per year by the Laymen's Evangelical Fellowship International. To Subscribe this and receive this bimonthly E-Magazine visit the following link : www.lefi.org