No. 5 The Stove
ONE cold rainy fall day, having been working outside a long time, I became cold and wet. As I thought of my condition, I longed to be home near the cheery fire, where I could sit down in comfort and warmth. But when the door was opened, instead of the cheery warmth greeting me, all was cold—the stove was cold, the room was cold and everything I touched was cold. The reason was at once apparent: I had failed to put on enough fuel to keep the fire burning.
O! I thought, how much like ourselves. Do we find the love of many waxing cold? If so, are our own hearts so fired by the sense of God’s love, that it fills our whole being, and shows in all our actions, so that others cannot help but feel the radiance of that love? Are we shedding comfort to all around us in this cold dark world?
While we know that our only true source of comfort is the Lord—we as fellow-pilgrims can often cheer one another with a word fitly spoken, by someone hearing us sing a hymn or even by a cheery look, showing we are occupied with the love of Christ, and the many mercies of God to us.
ML 01/15/1933