The Lord Does Not Now Work
IN THIS impressive statement may be found the basic reason for most of the frustration and fruitlessness that characterize so much of our work in the cause of God today. This statement does not say that the workers do not work. I know of no group of men who work harder and try to do more than the workers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We are always on the go somewhere, for some purpose, and too often to our own hurt. We have no time for the family, no time for rest, no time for relaxation or recreation, and no time for study and prayer and for so many other things that are truly important. We are "in the work," but God "does not now work."
We devote our time and energy to organizing our program, and this is important. No one can hope to succeed unless he does. We work hard to develop new methods and techniques. This too is vital in these days of unparalleled technology. Every new method needs to be studied and explored and adapted in our endeavors to reach the lost. We study eagerly the books of others, the programs of others, and the messages of others in the hope that we shall find the key to a more fruitful ministry. We work with great earnestness and constant effort but—"the Lord does not now work." This means that we are working alone, and this can only spell defeat and disappointment. Too many of us have found ourselves in this condition. The height of frustration is trying to do the work of the Lord when the Lord is not working.
The rest of the statement presents the real pointer for those who truly want to see souls, more souls, won to this message. "The Lord does not now work to bring many souls into the truth, because of the church members who have never been converted and those who were once converted but who have backslidden. What influence would these unconsecrated members have on new converts?"—Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 371.
This is the basic reason why the servant of the Lord has said: "A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work."—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 121.
Our churches need revival. Our churches need reformation. Our members need conversion and reconversion. This fact should be constantly kept before us as we seek to finish the work the Lord has given us to do. From Christ's Object Lessons, pages 120 and 121, we find the following encouraging statement: "As the apostles set forth the glory of the Only-Begotten of the Father, three thousand souls were convicted. . . . The church beheld converts flocking to her from all directions. Believers were reconverted. . . . Every Christian saw in his brother the divine similitude of benevolence and love. One interest prevailed. One object swallowed up all others. All hearts beat in harmony. The only ambition of the believers was to reveal the likeness of Christ's character, and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom. . . . These scenes are to be repeated, and with greater power."
If this is what it takes to get the Lord to "work to bring many souls into the truth," then, fellow workers, let us pray for power and guidance to bring it about. The secret of a revived church is a revived ministry. The secret of reformation in the membership is reformation in the leadership. Let the prayer of every worker in every church, every school, every organization, every institution, be "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee" (Ps. 51:12, 13).
With a revived and reformed leadership we shall soon have a revived and reformed membership. Then the Lord will "work to bring many souls into the truth" because He will have church members who are converted. Then the prophecy of Zechariah will be fulfilled and many people will come and say: "We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you" (Zech. 8:23).
N. R. D.
