"Thy Servant Was Busy Here And
There"
I Kings
Hugo Grotius of
I read recently of a
dying nobleman who exclaimed upon his deathbed - "Good God, how have I
employed myself! In what delirium has my life been passed! What have I been
doing while the sun in its race and the stars in their courses have lent their
beams, perhaps only to light my way to perdition! I have pursued shadows, and
entertained myself with dreams. I have been treasuring up dust and sporting
myself with the wind. I might have grazed with the beasts of the field, or sung
with the birds of the woods, to much better purposes than any for which I have
lived!" This man had everything a man could want, but peace with God. He
was busy here and there. He had gained the whole world. But he called his life
a "delirium," a vain and meaningless dream. In the end he lost his soul.
And everything else was vanity!
My friend, do not be so
foolish. Do not allow the cares of this world to destroy your soul. Do not
allow the providential blessings of life to keep you from Christ. Has God given
you a wife?Do not allow your wife to keep you from
God. Has the Lord given you children? Do not let your children keep you from
worshipping Christ. Has God given you a business? Do not allow your business to
interfere with worship, prayer and obedience to your Lord. Let us not be busy
here and there with this world to the ruining of our souls. We have a Savior to
honor, a kingdom to serve, a gospel to preach, and a constant sacrifice to make
(Rom. 12:1-2; I Cor. 6:19-20). As wise men and women, let us redeem the time
God has given us and serve him well in it for Christ's sake (I Cor. 7:29-31;
Eph. 5:15-16).
Don Fortner