September 19 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God" (1 Samuel 23:16).

Devotional

The Lord's vineyard is a large one. The departments of labor are many and varied. And in this world of activity, there are so many agencies, both evil and good, at work. There are so many influences, both for weal [well-being]and for woe, in constant and untiring operation. If there is one class which demands our warmest interest, our most fervent prayers, and our most affectionate sympathy and support, it is those who are actively and devotedly employed in the kingdom and service of Jesus. It should not be necessary to enumerate them. Those who are preaching Christ's gospel, those who are teaching the little ones, those who are instructing and training the youth about to enter upon life, those who disseminate God's holy Word and promote religious literature, those who visit the sick and the dying, the stranger, and the prisoner have especial and strong claims upon our Christian sympathy.

A little expression of kind interest in their self-denying labors—oh, how often has it inspirited, cheered, and encouraged them! What a privilege to go to the scene of their toil, anxiety, and discouragement, and—by a visit, a word, a donation—"strengthen [their] hand in God," that hand often so feeble, shaky, and ready to drop.

And is there not a lamentable lack of sympathy for the Christian missionary? Who so much demands, and who is so worthy of the support, the prayers, the sympathy of the Christian church as those who are her messengers and almoners (mercy-workers) to the far distant heathen? How much they need that—by our petitions, by our zealous cooperation, by our consecrated giving—we "strengthen [their] hand in God!"

Therefore, let us cheer all Christ's true laborers, remembering that in this way, we are helping to urge forward his truth and kingdom in the world.

Nor let us withhold our sympathy from any case of sorrow, Christian effort, or individual labor on the plea that its expression and its source are feeble, inexpensive, and obscure.

Ah! from many a sleepless pillow there has gone up the secret, silent, but fervent and believing wrestle with the Angel of the Covenant on behalf of some Christian worker, or some Christian enterprise, that has brought down from heaven God's grace, might, and smile to support, strengthen, and bless. Thus sympathy has its home in every holy heart. It belongs in every lowly dwelling. There is no individual—no matter how straitened by poverty, or veiled by obscurity, oppressed by trial, or enfeebled by sickness—from the altar of whose heart there may not ascent the sweetest, holiest, most precious, and most powerful of all human offerings—the offering and the incense of a true and prayerful sympathy.

Speed thy servants, Savior, speed them;
thou art Lord of winds and waves;
they were bound, but thou hast freed them;
now they go to free the slaves:
be thou with them,
'tis thine arm alone that saves.

Friends, and home, and all forsaking,
Lord they go at thy command,
as their stay thy promise taking,
while they traverse sea and land:
O be with them;
lead them safely by the hand.

When they reach the land of strangers,
and the prospect dark appears,
nothing seen but toils and dangers,
nothing felt but doubts and fears,
be thou with them,
hear their sighs and count their tears.

Where no fruit appears to cheer them,
and they seem to toil in vain,
then in mercy, Lord, draw near them,
then their sinking hopes sustain:
thus supported,
let their zeal revive again.

In the midst of opposition
let them trust, O Lord, in thee;
when success attends their mission,
let thy servants humbler be:
never leave them
till thy face in heav'n they see.

(Thomas Kelly, 1820)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2011.