August 7

Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently.

"Thy kingdom come," is a trumpet call to action. It arouses us from the stupor of indifference and urges us to defend and extend the limits of God's Kingdom of Grace. Jesus said, "No man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." And again He said: "I must work the works of Him that sent Me while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work." We are warned, Amos 6:1: "Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion!" We read in the Book of Judges, 5, 23: "Curse ye Meroz, said the Angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty."

The kingdom of God can come without you, but woe unto you if it must come without you! Christ prepared the supper, but He sent out His servants to bid the people come and eat. Christ fed the five thousand, but He made use of the lad with the five loaves and two fishes. If you have not ten talents, you must not bury in a napkin the one talent given you. Rather make good use of it. Make the very best of it. Take a lively interest in the work for God's kingdom. When the church-paper coming into your home is filled with important news gathered from God's kingdom, laying open snares in doctrine and pitfalls in morals, reporting the progress of our missionaries, the difficulties that vex our Synod, and many other things,—do you read it? Are you interested in these things? Why, it is our duty to know about these things, to consider them carefully, and to rejoice over each success with which the work in God's kingdom has been blessed. The real purpose of our existence is not to live unto ourselves, but to live a life of genuine self-sacrifice for the glory of God and the temporal and eternal welfare of our fellow-creatures, to which the love of Christ ought to constrain us.

Prayer.

Dearest Father in heaven, do not count the old sins against me unto my damnation and do not in Thy wrath remember my former transgressions, but graciously forgive and forget them because of the suffering and death of Thy dearly beloved Son. Protect Thy beloved Church and pour out Thy blessings upon her.

Confound and defeat the machinations of her enemies. Clothe her ministers with righteousness and truth. Accompany the means of grace with the mighty working of Thy Holy Spirit. Amen.

Savior, come and bring salvation, Chase away the lingering night, Pour Thy beams on every nation, Bless the world with heavenly light. Let Thy glory Fill the earth from pole to pole Till Thy story Wakens love in every soul.