Living With Purpose
A preacher who lived many years ago tells the story of his favorite uncle. He says, “When I was a boy
and lived in a farmhouse out in the country it was always a jolly time when Uncle Wallace came to see
us. He was a preacher and traveled a circuit so large that it took him four weeks to get around on
horseback. We children were always glad to see Uncle Wallace come, because he was such a kind-
hearted, good man, and was always so gentle and cheerful that he brought the sunshine with him. Uncle
Wallace knew how to do many things besides preaching. He could make the best whistles of any man in
the country, and he could take the stalk of an elderberry-tree and make a squirt-gun that would make
any country boy’s mouth water. He was full of stories that pleased both the old and the young folks.
When he read the Bible he did it in such a natural way that it seemed as if he was reading a letter, and
when he led at family prayers we all felt the Lord was not very far away. All the people were glad to have
him come, because he brought such a happy, good time along with him”.
After reading this testimonial, it reminded me of two stories in the Bible. One was about an old
preacher who traveled on a big circuit. His name was Elijah and the story can be found in 1 Kings 17. The
Lord had this preacher stay for a long time by the side of a little brook, and the ravens brought him food,
and he drank out of the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, and the Lord told him to go to the
house of a widow woman who had one son. The woman was very poor, and had only a little food left,
but she divided it with the good man, and because she was so kind to him the Lord kept her food from
giving out, so that as long as the preacher stayed, there was plenty to eat. Like Uncle Wallace, the widow
and her little boy thought Elijah was welcome company to have about the house. It’s a blessed thing to
give a welcome to visitors who bring the Lord with them.
The second story I’m thinking about is when two young men set the “Ark of God” or some call it the
“Ark of the Covenant” on an oxcart and drove the oxen along to Jerusalem with it. The story is told in 2
Samuel 6:3-15. The Bible explains when they came to a place where the ground was rough one of the
young men took hold of the Ark of God to steady it. And because no one was to touch the Ark of God, he
died right there on the spot. And David, who was King at the time, was afraid to have the Ark taken any
farther. So he left it in the house of a man by the name of Obededom, and it stayed there three months.
The strange thing about it was that from the moment it was left there, God’s blessings was on that
house, and all Obededom or his wife, or his boys and his girls did was so successful that the neighbors all
talked about it, and David lost his fear of the Ark of God and had the Ark brought up to Jerusalem.
These stories are examples of a great and mighty truth. There’s always a good time in the house when
Jesus comes to live there. Which leads to the question, “Is Jesus Christ welcome in your house?” Is it any
wonder that humankind has tried to kick God out of the school house, court house, and other public
places and we have chaos and turmoil in these areas? Even in some church houses, secular influences
are introduced and are being welcomed and disguised as being of God. God has standards that have
been in place since the beginning of time. Perhaps we have forgotten the great command that we’re to
have “no other gods before Him” (Exodus 20:3). Christ desires to enter into our dwelling places and to
bring the good things of life. Jesus says, “Look I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and
open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” (Revelation 3:20).
Good times await the person and families that welcome Jesus into their homes. But he will never
force his way in. There must be a willingness; a submission to His invitation. A poem by M.S. Lowndes
clearly describes this opportunity: “Here I am standing at the door of your heart, won’t you let me come
in and flood light where there’s dark? For I have been knocking for such a long time, don’t leave it much
longer to become a child of mine. I just want you to know that I love you so much and can fill your heart
within that once was starved of love. So please don’t delay in responding to me, for I may not keep
knocking and I have not a key. I will never force you to open the door; it’s all up to you, my friend, to
receive me as Lord”.
Christ has promised to come into the heart of any person who invites him. If Jesus is allowed to stay
with us, pride, meanness, jealousy, enviousness, bitterness, and hatred will have to leave. Then we can
all say “good riddance to bad rubbish”. Let Christ into your life and start experiencing life as he intended
it for you. This life will certainly not be without some difficulty, but how abundantly full of peace, love,
and joy you will be obliged to enjoy forever both now and into eternity.
This bi-weekly column is written by Matthew Dobson. He’s a teacher, U.S. Army Chaplain, and the
Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in the New York Community. He has published nine books that can
be purchased on Amazon.com. These books include the “Living With Purpose” series Volumes 1-3. You
can contact him at: rmdobson@liberty.edu.
Posted by North Santa Rosa
on Dec 5 2016. Filed under Church News, Churches, Living With Purpose, Local.
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