My wife and I had a saying when one of us had to go away on a training or business trip, or to visit our daughter in North Carolina, while the other spouse had to stay home and take care of things. That saying was, “Keep the home fires going.” It was understood to remind us in a loving way to take care of the house; to do the laundry and dishes; to make sure the children were fed and taken care of; to water the plants; to make the beds and generally, to have the house and yard in the same condition as it was when the spouse had left.
We did not consider this to be an unreasonable request, and we usually followed through on it, so that the departing spouse would not be overwhelmed with excess work upon his or her return.
Christ gave His disciples a similar admonition when He stated in Matthew 24: 45-46: “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.” To give them food in due season includes doing our part in publishing the gospel to the world, as prophesied in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Notice, it says the gospel WILL be preached, not that it might perhaps be preached. The question we need to ask ourselves is, are we engaged in this process? Are we furthering this Work by faithfully tithing? Are we praying for the success of this Work and are we doing our part, however small it may seem to us? We should not despise the day of small things and always bear in mind that the effective prayer of the righteous person avails much. James 5:16 confirms this: “… The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
Now is not the time to let down. We must not allow our environment to slow our progress in the responsibilities we have towards God in regard to our calling and efforts to get this much needed gospel out to a sick and dying world. We have to be zealous in the job we have been given to do, since that is what is expected of us. Remember, we are blessed if, at His return, the Lord finds us faithfully doing the Work. So let’s ensure that we are keeping those home fires going.
