Patience in the Routine
The sermon emphasizes the importance of patience and faithfulness in our current circumstances as preparation for future opportunities from God.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about the importance of staying where God has placed us, even when we desire to be elsewhere, emphasizing the need to trust in God's timing and purpose. He encourages patience, trust, and faithfulness in the midst of mundane routines, believing that these qualities prepare us for greater opportunities in the future. The sermon highlights the value of obedience and contentment in the present circumstances, knowing that God's plan is always better than our own desires.
Text
"Be thou there till I bring thee word" (Matt. 2:13).
"I'll stay where You've put me;
I will, dear Lord, Though I wanted so badly to go;
I was eager to march with the 'rank and file,'
Yes, I wanted to lead them, You know.
I planned to keep step to the music loud,
To cheer when the banner unfurled,
To stand in the midst of the fight straight and proud,
But I'll stay where You've put me.
"I'll stay where You've put me; I'll work, dear Lord,
Though the field be narrow and small,
And the ground be fallow, and the stones lie thick,
And there seems to be no life at all.
The field is Thine own, only give me the seed,
I'll sow it with never a fear;
I'll till the dry soil while I wait for the rain,
And rejoice when the green blades appear;
I'll work where You've put me.
"I'll stay where You've put me; I will, dear Lord;
I'll bear the day's burden and heat,
Always trusting Thee fully; when even has come
I'll lay heavy sheaves at Thy feet.
And then, when my earth work is ended and done,
In the light of eternity's glow,
Life's record all closed, I surely shall find
It was better to stay than to go;
I'll stay where You've put me."
"Oh restless heart, that beat against your prison bars of circumstances, yearning for a wider sphere of usefulness, leave God to order all your days. Patience and trust, in the dullness of the routine of life, will be the best preparation for a courageous bearing of the tug and strain of the larger opportunity which God may some time send you."
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding God's placement in our lives - The importance of patience in routine - Trusting God's timing
- II points: - Working diligently in small fields - The value of faithfulness in obscurity - Preparing for greater opportunities
- III points: - The burden of daily life - Finding joy in the mundane - Eternity's perspective on our work
- IV points: - The call to stay where God has placed us - The significance of obedience - Reaping the rewards of steadfastness
Key Quotes
“Oh restless heart, that beat against your prison bars of circumstances, yearning for a wider sphere of usefulness, leave God to order all your days.” — Charles E. Cowman
“Patience and trust, in the dullness of the routine of life, will be the best preparation for a courageous bearing of the tug and strain of the larger opportunity which God may some time send you.” — Charles E. Cowman
“I'll stay where You've put me; I will, dear Lord.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Embrace your current situation as a divine placement and work diligently within it.
- Practice patience in daily routines, knowing that they are shaping you for greater tasks ahead.
- Trust in God's timing and remain obedient, as He knows the best path for your life.