Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-01
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR HOUR
Conducted by
GRACE LIVINGSTON HILL.
For A,,nrs< .

Citations. there was given to a thorn
| In the flesh. the messenger Of Satan to buff
fet me, lest 1 should be exalted above
measure.
8. For this thing I besought the Lord
thrice, that it might depart from me.
8. He said unto me- My grace is sufficient
for thee; for my strength Is made perfect
| in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will
I rather glory in my infirmities. that the
power of Christ may rest upon me-
TO- Therefore I take pleasure In infirmi-
ties. in reproaches. in necessities. in perse-
cutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for
when 1 am weak, then am strong.
x:1O. For his letters say they, are weighty
and powerful: but his bodily presence is
weak, and his speech contemplate.
The Lesson.
AS did Jesus. so did Paul. three times
beseech the Father for the removal Of his
trouble. No more need we pirate of unan-
swered prayers. Gods answers are not
always yes" But the prayers are never
theless answered and that right clearly to
the listening ear. The answer. though mo.
my child may bring as much JOY as
yes" If we are assured Of that sufhciency
of strength that is to be ours to bear
when the burden is not removed.
There has been much discussion as to
what Paurs thorn was, whether bodily all
ment like epilepsy. or trouble with his
eyes. spiritual temptation. The helpful
ness to ourselves OF this experience of Pauls
is almost lost sight of in the work Of trying
to find out what his trouble really was. But
perhaps it was intended that We should not
know. for now 1t fits all our troubles and
helps US to put ourselves in PauIS place
little while and If we can bear the
thorn as he did. Certain 1T is that it was
nothing which needed to hinder Pauls
spiritual growth, else his prayer would have
hoe
have ceased to pray.
Let us look at some of our hindrances to
being all think we might be. Take the
humble home you live in, the daily toll you
dislike Can you ever be able to look
around on the dismal kitchen where you
spend much of your time and actually glory
in the distasteful work you have to do. be-
| cause of the opportunity it gives you to
show forth Christs power in your life? NO?
Not even if you had felt His whisper in your
heart, My grace is Sufficient? Take some
thing physical, a homely face or crooked
back or constant pain that keeps you from
entering into the work and enjoyment OF
other people Did you ever think how
great may be the glory of that narrow,
hedged life Of yours If you only allow God
to show forth through you the wonders OF
His grace? 'f.
When you stand on the heights Of glory
some day and look back over your finished
life story you will very likely see that the
thorns the crosses, the trials you are bear
ing now were the only things that helped
you to the height. and that without them
you would have been proud, arrogant, I'M
pliable In the hands Of God, unwilling to
follow His bidding. You think now it is
almost incredible that you should need this
sorrow you are bearing to make you fit for
Gods kingdom, yet God in His wisdom is
seeing what you need and Is giving it to
YOU though His heart yearns over your an
guish, and He longs to take away the
cause, but will not for He Is making you.
Yet He whispers, My grace is sufficient"
There Is another thought here. 1t Is only
when we are quite willing to be weak that
We give Jesus chance to manifest His
strength. If Paul had had no thorn in the
flesh perhaps he would have preached
Paul. instead Of Christ crucitied the
hope Of glory" He seems to have been
able to recognize the good his Christening
had done him. But then. remember, he
must have been in close communion with
Christ when he prayed those three times for
the removal OF the thorn; to hear Christ
answer. My grace is sufficient" When
you and / have prayed that way, too
may hear that still small voice in answer,
and then we will presently begin to under
stand what God means to make of us, and
perhaps we also shall be able to lift up
heads and glory in the infirmities that are
given us. counting them rather honor
than disgrace.
Therefore, II your corner of the vineyard
be stony and unfertile. and your hand trem-
Die at the scorching of the unshaded sun.
rejoice rather than be Respondent. for God
has given you high honor to place you
the harvest yields.
What a glorious result 1t would be from
this meeting if every member who attend
ed should go home counting over his In
flrmities. his approaches, his necessities, his
prosecutions, his distresses for Christ's
sake. and resolve that hereafter he will
glory in them. knowing that only because
of his weakness is he stronger than others.
because Christ's strength is his for the
asking
And so when Monday comes and the old
hfndrances rise up, that pain In your side,
| or that binding headache which makes it
so hard to speak to the other members of
your family without irritability in your
voice. count it all joy and ask Christ to
giVeyou Of his strong. sweet temper. know
ing that your own cannot hold out for the
days needs. And If you have to give up
going to some all-day missionary meeting
you had planned for and stay at home to
wash dishes. or take another mans
place behind the counter because he IL
sick. count 1t all joy. glory in 1t. Another
chance to let Christ's strength shine forth
through your life. and blessed are you that
you are chosen for this hard task.
Applied Truth.
Did you ever ride in the engine of a fast
flying express train and look ahead at the
track four or five miles and note how mar
row it looks? Two fine little lines the rails
become, over which the great painting
| trembling engine could not possibly expect
to pass. But as you advance you have
seen the track open out just wide enough
for the living fest ef the engine, and you
move swiftly over, always the track wild
ening as you draw near. Now and again
a mountain rises in your path or another
train seems to be rushing straight at you.
yet as you come, nearer, a beautiful curve
winds about 1t, or another track carries the
| oncoming train by in safety. So Is Gods
grace, sufficient for the time of need,
ever opening a way in the closed path, or
leading around the hindra1ce.
How to Help the Header.
| Speak of some life which has been gIori-
| fled through tria& oR4suffering. Tell of your
| own hindrances and how you think you
may be able to make them count for the
glory Of God.
Parallel passagesrPsalms. xviii. 2O-32:
| Psalms, cxxxviii, 3: Romans, v, 3-5; Ro-
mans, viii. 1923; Romans. xii. 81; CO.
| rinthians. X, 10; Corinthians. XIV. 10: Gala
tians, V, I; Hebrews. H. Is: John. v. 4.
Hints to the leader-Christfan Endeavor
! hymns, Is. 20. %. IS. sc. 81. 80. The En-
| deavor Hymnal &C. 80. G2. 1877, 1866 2S7
| Encourage the members to speak Of the