"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in network of silver." Prov. 25:11.

      An aged sister recently said to me, "When I wake in the night I pray--I pray for you that you may say words in season." I am persuaded that her prayers and the prayers of others have enabled me to say "words in season" and "speak boldly as I ought to speak" many times. It is said that a minister once dreamed that he saw rows of beautiful diadems studded with precious jewels. 'Is that big one for me?' said he, remembering there had been many conversions in his church. 'No, not for you,' the angel said, 'that one is for the poor old deaf man who used to sit by your pulpit stairs and plead for souls in the congregation, while you preached to them.' Brethren may we not be neglecting this very important work of the Lord? I fear very much that we are trusting too much in the sword service apart from prayer. What God has joined together we should not put asunder. The apostles said "we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." Paul said, "take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching therein with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." Let us become intercessory Christians.

      "Mine eyes anticipated the night watch that I might meditate on thy Word." Psa. 119:148.

      Like a vine meditation needs a trellis upon which to mount upward. The Word of God proves to be just such a support. Let us fill our minds with the word so that in wakeful hours of the night or in sickness we may be able to mount upward in meditation. Doubtless God sometimes holds our eyes in waking [60] for reasons known only to Him. (Ps. 77:4; Esther 6:1). Let us learn to utilize the hours of wakefulness by prayer and meditation. Calling down the blessings of God on others and feeding our own souls on the bread from heaven.

      Let me suggest to you, dear Christian reader, what may be of help to you in hours of wakefulness. Begin by meditation upon some portion of the Word of God. Give God a chance to come in and illuminate the passage and apply it to your understanding and need. This will perhaps lead you into the spirit of prayer. The transition from hearing God talk to you to your talking to Him will be natural. When a heart full of love to God speaks to Him it is natural to adore Him, confess sins and shortcomings, petition Him for personal needs, intercede for others and thank Him for all His benefits. Perhaps before you have gone this far your eyes will have closed in sleep, but certainly a sleep that overtakes one with the soul reaching heavenward cannot fail to be refreshing.

      Here is another healthful habit. Begin the day with prayer--at the first waking moment let the heart go up to God in prayer. Three minutes spent in this way each morning will work wonders in the Christian growth and enjoyment. Three minutes spent in this way may change the whole day. Try it with a whole heart and prove it to your own joy and profit.

      "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Ex. 33:14.

      When God commands a work He promises His presence in the execution of it. See Ex. 3:10-12; Judge 6:14-16; Josh. 1:9; Jer. 1:17-19; Matt. 28:19, 20. Doubtless as to doctrine we all believe this but in the practical life it is a useless thing. To most of us God is so far away. Brother Joseph Sims once took a colony of people from Kansas to Canada. There was an offer from the government to give to any church that would build a house of worship forty acres of land. When they were ready to build Brother Sims notified the government of the fact and requested the land. They then wrote him asking him where the headquarters of the church of Christ is located. Brother Sims then explained that the church is congregational in form and recognizes no earthly head, Christ being the head of the church. They then wrote him saying, "Will you please give us the headquarters of the Church of Christ?" He answered, "The headquarters of the Church of Christ is in heaven." They said in reply, "Since your headquarters is so far away we will not take up communication." I sometimes feet that many Christians feel that way about it--since heaven is so far away what is the use to pray. Better look for help and comfort from a nearer source, and thus we are made to lean on the arm of flesh and Jehovah is dishonored and we suffer great loss. It is this idea of God being so far away that allows us to fall into so many sins. Realizing God as ever present will produce a holy life. How shall we make His presence a blessed reality? [61]

      I have found this practice very helpful in realizing the presence of God. Let me recommend it to you. Go to some place where no one can hear and there all alone with Him talk with Him as you would with an earthly friend. Leave off all stereotyped phrases and dialect of churches and speak to Him from your heart. Tell Him of your need in the common every day language. At first you find it an awkward experience and the sound of your voice in the stillness will perhaps startle you. It will be very hard to break away from that dignified prayer speech but the effort will be a very healthful exercise. Do not fail to give God time to speak to you for in this will be found the blessedness of communion. After following this practice for some time from a true heart one will be able to realize the presence of God and learn to talk to Him in a way that will bring refreshment to the soul and greater stability in the practical life.

      "To every man his work." Mark 13:34.

      No saint of God is so financially poor, so physically sick, so ignorant of letters, so stammering of tongue or so distant from the church but that there is work for him in the kingdom of the Lord. Christ gave to every man his work and the Holy Spirit divides his gifts "to each one severally as He will." Let none excuse himself--you are fitted for some work--a work which none but yourself can do. Do not excuse yourself with the thought that you have no ability. God knows you have--you know you have, then why not begin this day to discharge it. The following poem by Annie Johnson Flint taken from "The Sunday School Times" may help you some by suggesting some ways in which you are fitted for service.

["Words Fitly Spoken." Word and Work 9 (February 1916): 60-62.]

      The electronic version of Charles Neal's "Words Fitly Spoken" has been produced from microfilm of Word and Work for 1916.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 60:     preached to them." [ preached to them.'
 p. 61:     igve thee rest." [ give thee rest."
 p. 62:     to give GoGd [ to give God
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
373 Wilson Street
Derry, PA 15627-9770
e_stefanik@email.msn.com

Created 31 January 2002.