Throughout My Whole Life.
I have been thinking about the clause of the Christian Endeavor pledge in which the Endeavourer promises to try to do Christ's will "throughout my whole life."
For how long are Endeavourers doing their Christian Endeavor work?
Well, for as long as they are in the society, certainly; not merely for the first month, or while the society is a novel affair, but as long as they wear the name of Christian Endeavor.
Yes, and for longer than that. Are they not going to read the Bible every day as long as they live? and pray every day? and testify for Christ faithfully and frequently? and support their own church in every way? Are they not in the Christian Endeavor society merely that these acts may become habitual and endure "throughout our whole lives?"
Ah but, after all, that is only a small part, a very small part, of what that clause of the pledge should mean. For we are to live forever. Our "whole lives" are—eternity.
Bible-reading in heaven? Certainly! Only, there we shall read our Bible in the face and on the tongues of the very Moses and David and Isaiah, the very John and Peter and Paul, who wrote the Bible of earth.
Prayer in heaven? Certainly! Only, there it will be open communion with a visible Father, His arms felt around us, His voice warm in our ears.
Testimony in heaven? Certainly! Only, there it will not be before a handful of mortals in a little meeting room, but in the company of ten thousand times ten thousand, singing before the throne of God the song of Moses and the Lamb!
Church-support in heaven? Certainly! Only, there we shall support not the Church Militant, but the Church Triumphant.
Committee work in heaven? Certainly! Only, the chairmen of our committees ill be Elijah, and Luther, and Philip, and Paul, and Gideon, and Wesley, and Calvin, and Knox, and Moody, and Phillips Brooks, and Frances Willard, and Mary Lyon and Carey, and Livingstone, and Lincoln! and we shall go forth on wings of light and power, and do errands on no one knows what worlds and suns. Ah, the reports we shall give and hear in the business meetings of heaven!
"Throughout our whole lives?" Yes, indeed. No petty, transient aim is ours. We are training ourselves—God help us!—for an eternity of Christian endeavor.