| Devotional Hours with the Bible |
Chapter 3 |
Page 6 |
There is a legend of a monk at his devotions, to whom was granted a blessed vision the Christ. The convent bell rang while he bowed before the vision. It was the hour when the blind, the lame, and all the beggars of the parish came to receive their dole, and this monk on his knees before the vision was to distribute alms that day. Should he go, or should he stay? Then the vision said:
Do thy duty, that is best;
Leave unto thy Lord the rest.
Instantly he arose, hastened away, did his work among the poor, then came again, and found the vision waiting where he had left it. Then a voice said, “Hadst thou stayed, I must have fled.” The joy of communion with God must never detain us from life’s common task work. We cannot keep the rapture of devotion if we neglect the routine of lowly service. Worship was meant to fit us for better work, not to make us less ready for our lowly tasks.
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