April 29

Monday after Fourth Sunday in Lent

Let us not be weary in well-doing. Galatians 6:9.

IT is very easy to begin well. It is very easy to make good resolves, to feel warm with zeal and love to God at times. But it is very hard to go on well, to fight the long wearisome fight, to labour day by day and hour by hour to serve God, in the midst of all sorts of difficulties and hindrances and worldly thoughts and cares; this is indeed very hard. We are all tempted soon to be "weary in well-doing." And yet what says our Lord Himself? "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Yes, nothing else will avail. It will be of no use lighting our lamps if they do not burn on to the end. Persevere must be the Christian's watchword. He must never faint nor flag in his march. There must be no idling, no turning back—onward, onward, the path is before him. He must press forward, never daunted, never weary, "steadfast," unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; faithful "unto death." How can we best persevere and not be weary in well-doing? Only by constant, daily, humble reliance on God's strength. Except we seek God's grace very earnestly and very constantly in those blessed means of grace which He has given us, we cannot hope to persevere. Remember we are not trusting in God's grace and leaning upon His strength unless we are distrusting ourselves. God "giveth grace to the humble." "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life," and he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

May we follow and adore Thee, our Saviour, more and more: Guide and bless us with Thy love, Till we join Thy Saints above.