May 20 / Springs in the Valley by L.B. Cowman

May 20

And being in an agony he prayed…Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. (Luke 22:42-44)

There is a story of a woman who had had many sorrows: parents, husband, children, wealth, all were gone. In her great grief she prayed for death, but death did not come. She would not take up any of her wonted work for Christ. One night she had a dream: she thought she had gone to heaven. She saw her husband and ran to him with eager joy, expecting a glad welcome. But, strange to say, no answering joy shone on his face—only surprise and displeasure. “How did you come here?” he asked. “They did not say that you were to be sent for today; I did not expect you for a long time yet.” With a bitter cry she turned from him to seek her parents. But instead of the tender love for which her heart was longing she met from them only the same amazement and the same surprised questions. “I’ll go to my Savior,” she cried. “He will welcome me if no one else does.” When she saw Christ, there was infinite love in His look, but His words throbbed with sorrow as He said: “Child, child, who is doing your work down there?” At last she understood; she had no right yet to be in heaven; her work was not finished; she had fled away from her duty.

This is one of the dangers of sorrow: that in our grief for those who are gone we lose our interest in those who are living, and slacken our zeal in the work which is allotted to us. However great our bereavements we may not drop our tasks until the Master calls us away.
J. R. MILLER

Finish thy work, the time is short;
The sun is in the west,
The night is coming down; t
ill then Think not of rest.

Rest? Finish thy work, then rest;
Till then, rest never.
The rest prepared for thee by God
Is rest forever.

Finish thy work, t
hen sit thee down
On some celestial hill,
And of heaven’s everlasting bliss

Cowman, L. B. E.. Springs in the Valley (pp. 154-155). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.