NOVEMBER 27TH, 1932
NOVEMBER 27TH, 1932
MY DEAR —, — ... I value your friendship and your prayers, and I value your many kind gifts because I take them as a token of an interest that will not fail to have me in mind in relation to my many and great needs as one who seeks to serve the Lord. Increasing years do not diminish the need for dependence; indeed I do not think I ever realised the absolute need for help from on high as much as I do now. And if I [p. 210] can gain a little more spirituality through your prayers I shall be eternally your debtor. And this is the chief thing to be desired, for to serve without spirituality in the servant would yield little for the Lord, nor would it yield much for the saints, for ministry cannot produce a deeper result in those who come under its influence than it has produced in the one who is the vessel of it.
Going back to the thought of my birthday, it is really a serious thing to be seventy, for it is the normal term of human life, and one is just nearing the end of the journey, though in the ordering of God it may be a little prolonged. On the side of my responsible history I feel very much like Jacob — “Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life”. But on the side of sovereignty and mercy privileges and favours have been abundant, though always accompanied by disciplinary ways which have, I am convinced, been necessary. But in numbering one’s days one just feels the increased urgent importance of applying one’s heart to wisdom. If one were permitted to end one’s course like David in laying oneself out for the house of God it would be happy indeed....
Yours very affectionately,
November 27th, 1932.