BIDDY, we will call, the mother hen, who is so faithful in taking care of her little chicks. She keeps watch that they don’t run off from her and get lost and when they get a little further off than she wants them, she just says, “Cluck, cluck, cluck!” and how obedient they are, for they come running to her right away. No doubt they expect they are going to get something to eat. But with this we may be able to learn a needful lesson, and that is in connection with the promptness of the obedience of the little chicks. Many children delight in obeying their parents, but think that their time will do, and in that way they get themselves into trouble. Then too when they go to work they do the same thing, as they get into the habit of it, and their employers won’t keep them. So it is a bad thing not to be prompt in obedience. But if it is bad, and it surely is, not to obey, or to be prompt in obeying our parents or others whom we are under, what do you think it must be not to obey God? He has told us in His Word what He wants us to do. The first thing is to work, and the first work is to believe on His Son. He says:
Have you obeyed this word from the Lord Jesus? If not, remember what the result will be of that disobedience. For again the Scripture says “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36). The first step in obedience is to believe on His Son, and if you have not done so, remember the wrath of God abideth on you. If you have believed on Jesus as the Son of God, then the Word of God in the Epistles are the direct words to us, and we should seek to be prompt in obeying every part of it. To obey His Word He tells us is better than sacrifice that is better than giving to the Lord, or working for Him.
ML 05/12/1918