LONDON
(iii) Andrew Burr
In my experience, we do not often sing the hymn we had at the beginning of such an occasion, but it is singularly rousing:
Hearts awakening, Saviour great thee.
(Hymn 380)
It fills our spirits with the glory of a day that is at hand when we shall meet Him in the air. The Lord has given us an inkling of what that day will be which is recorded in this very letter, at the end of the previous chapter. On that day, the Lord will have all those that are His. It is not the day when He will have all that is His; it is not the day when He will be publicly acclaimed in the world, although that will follow shortly afterwards. It must follow afterwards, because when He comes out to reign in glory, those He has gathered up will be with Him, but He will have all those who are His, those who are the Christ’s. These are not limited to those who have lived after His death here on earth, but those for whom He has paid with His all. It is hardly possible for any who are in that number not to be stirred by the prospects of that day, but in the waiting time, I believe that the Lord would punctuate our experience with moments of awakening. Naturally, we become inattentive and dull, but the Lord would bring in moments of awakening. I believe He would use this occasion for that purpose.
We have spoken of a brother whose part among us shines in our memories and someone for whom the coming day was a governing principle. I wonder, as I look at my own life and the way I order it, how far I could say it is governed by the day for which my spirit waits. I believe we need to be reminded of it from time to time; we need to be aroused up. Paul even says to the Ephesians who were remarkably intelligent believers, “Awake up thou that sleepest and arise from among the dead and the Christ shall shine upon you”. You might say that the receipt of that letter in Ephesus was an awakening moment. I believe we are to be affected in this way. Paul in this chapter speaks first of those who sleep as if it is a poor thing to do, although he goes on to refer to those who sleep as a very attractive way of speaking of those who are with Christ; but he says, “whether we may be watching or sleep”. Our brother now joins the number of those who in this sense sleep. We should all be among those who are watching. There should not be any among the living who are sleeping.
The stimulus that we have for maintaining this brightness of spirit is found in our fellowship together. It says, “we may live together with him”. That may be a day still to come but I do not think living is spoken of in scripture as something that is only future. How wonderful to be governed in our relations together with Him. Then Paul says, “Wherefore encourage one another … even as also ye do”. What a remarkable company the Thessalonians were. They were very poor, persecuted, shaken by the hostility of their neighbours and no doubt erstwhile friends, but in the circle in which they gathered to the Name of the Lord their faith increased exceedingly, and the love of each one of them all towards one another abounded. These are wonderful features of a waking, watching company. Our brother has provided quite a stimulus to this end while he has been among us, whether at our gatherings or not. This need not fall just to one, it could be taken up by us all to continue that spirit of activity among us.
May He bless the word.
February 2001
Burial of Mr. Ernest Palmer