The Discipline of Duty

''Doing the will of God from the heart'' (Eph. 6:6).

   Is there delight deeper or more delectable than that of duty diligently done? To know one's responsibility, to face its circumstances, both favorable, to follow the line of duty without deviation caused by difficulties or distraction, and to fulfill the task as assigned—all this brings great joy. Between finding out our task and fulfilling the same there lies the discipline of duty, often arduous and difficult, even to the point of impossibility.

   By way of illustration, we follow the experience of the Apostle Paul in the fulfillment of his assignment, ''for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome'' (Acts 23:11). To the trusting and obedient child of God, there is the gracious possibility of being ''filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing'' (Col. 1:9, 10). We are not to be ''unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is'' (Eph. 5:17). There is gracious provision

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for guidance by the Lord who is our Shepherd (Ps. 23:1), who ''when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice'' (John 10:4). It has always been so with the people of God: Abraham was called to inherit a land he had not seen, Joseph was to become the ruler and benefactor of his brethren, Moses was to lead his enslaved people from the iron furnace of Egypt, David as a shepherd boy was anointed to be king over Israel, Cyrus the Persian was to order the restoration of Jerusalem. Mary was to see a performance of those things told her from the Lord, and Paul was to witness also in Rome. For you and me as for them, the will of God calls us to our duty.

   The Wrath of Men. Immediately that there is knowledge of God's will for your life there will be opposition thereto. The enemy of man's soul will do all in his power to thwart the purpose of the Most High. A conspiracy of wicked men plotted on the very next morning to take Paul's life (Acts 23:12,13). When David became king, ''all the Philistines came up to seek David'' (II Sam. 5:17). When Nehemiah sought to rebuild his city, the adversaries were present with intimidation, innuendo, intrigue, and insinuation, to resist his efforts. However, it may not be wicked men who oppose your way, but even good hearts and true may misinterpret God's will for you, and like Peter, say ''far be it from you.'' The Pharisees and Herodians sought to

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destroy the Lord Jesus (Mk. 3:6), and also His friends ''went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself'' (3:21).

   What says the Word of God on such circumstances? ''The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe'' (Prov. 29:25). Nehemiah could say, ''Should such a man as I flee?'' (Neh. 6:11). ''He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me'' (Heb. 13:5, 6). ''No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord'' (Isa. 54:17, note also Isa. 41:10-13; Ps. 31:17-21; 37:7-11).

   The Lord has a way of escape for His tried, yet trusting child. His help is sure, but His methods are seldom guessed. A lad overheard the plot of Paul's persecutors, and the Apostle's life was spared. Goliath was overcome by a shepherd boy with sling and stone, Mordecai's record was read to the restless King after Haman had erected the gallows, four unknown lepers opened ''windows in heaven'' to feed the hungry of Samaria (II Kings 7), and so it goes. God is not without a way to shield your life from the ''strife of tongues'' (Ps. 31:20), and to set you free from the wrath of men.

   Waste of Years. The determined and crafty adversary of your soul will not desist from his opposition

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to the will of God in your life after one defeat. Paul was taken from Jerusalem to Caesaria on his way to Rome, only to languish for an undefined and interminable period. There was no case against him, but he had no friends at court, nor would he stoop to bribery (Acts 24:26); with the result that he remained immobile in the dungeon. His soul entered into delay and darkness, caused by the negligence and selfishness of others.

   The experience is not uncommon among the children of God. Moses was rejected by his people and spent forty years in the wilderness. David was hunted as a partridge on the hillside of Judea by an insanely jealous Saul, Elijah sat by the brook and later shared the hospitality of a heathen home when Ahab ruled in the land, and Paul in his earlier life spent years of obscurity in Arabia and Tarsus. Are you also entering into this experience described by David? ''I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel'' (Ps. 31:11, 12). Never fear; there is no neglect so complete nor indifference so studied that can stultify the will of God for your life, if you will trust Him in the lengthening shadow of years apparently wasted. The silence of the dungeon will make sweeter and stronger the song of deliverance.

   Waves of Despair. Paul did not perish in prison, for God made a way to escape from that Doubting Castle.

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It was a strange way, perhaps from a human point of view an unnecessary way. He was compelled to appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:10-12), though in reality there was no legal means therefore (26:32). Thus it is that indifference on the part of others comes to an end. Moses is called of God to go down into Egypt, Elijah is sent to Ahab, Paul at Tarsus is called to Antioch. When God's hour strikes, you will go forward into His will, not perhaps as you had planned but in a way which He sees is best for you. Paul had long been desirous of ''a prosperous journey by the will of God to come'' to Rome (Rom. 1:10). God allowed it to be a perilous journey for His spiritual prosperity and also for ours.

   The adversary was not without devices when he had failed by wrath of men or waste of years to thwart God's will for Paul; nor is he without methods to divert you from the center of that will. As a prisoner, Paul was taken aboard ship to be brought to Rome. In reality he was the prisoner of the Lord (Eph. 3:1; 4:1); and that attitude makes all the difference in the world. As His prisoners we need not fear the yoke of men. Our legal rights may be trampled under foot, our sound counsel may be scorned (Acts 27:11), and we find ourselves the apparent victim of circumstances into which comes a storm so overwhelming that ''all hope that we should be saved was then taken away'' (27:20).

   How about that? Years before, God had said to Paul, ''Rome''; now the enemy sneered, ''drown.''

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Is that true of you today with all human hope gone, and only the consciousness deep in your soul that God did make plain to you His will, and to the best of your knowledge and ability you have obeyed Him?

   Paul's experience of the grace of God under such circumstances can also be yours. There came a message to his innermost being, ''Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar'' (Acts 27:24). It was much like the experience of the terrified disciples in a storm on Galilee when they heard, ''be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid'' (Mk. 6:50). The process was the same in both instances: the Lord was taking the storm out of the life of His children before He took them out of the storm. God grant that amid the roar of the wind and the raging of the sea of your life that you may hear anew the still, small voice of His spirit saying, ''Be not afraid, thou must fulfill his will.'' ''And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to the land'' (Acts 27:44).

   The Wickedness of the Adversary. Had not God's servant endured enough difficulties in the pathway of duty? The enemy did not think so. He might escape the wrath of men, the waste of years, and the waves of despair, and therefore must be destroyed by direct attack. ''There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand'' (Acts 28:3). There was no escape from snake bites, only certain death.

   How does the Serpent attack God's children? Perchance by sickness as was the woman whom he had bound eighteen years (Luke 13:16), by self-pity (Matt. 16:21-25), by self-sufficiency so that

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we fall into ''condemnation of the devil'' (I Tim. 3:6), ''for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world'' (II Tim. 4:10).

   Suddenly, swiftly the adversary strikes to render us ineffective in God's service, and thus bring to an inglorious end the will of God for our life.

   When he strikes, we must be strong in the Lord, filled with the Spirit, under the precious blood, walking in obedience unto God and in service to men, so that we also can shake him off into the fire and feel no harm (Acts 28:5). With us as with Paul such experience will be a testimony to others of the saving and keeping power of our Lord, and we ourselves shall be stronger because of His salvation. There will come the moments of fulfillment of the will of God, ''and when we came to Rome'' (28:16). We should share even now the assurance that Moses knew, ''My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest'' (Exod. 33:14); the strength that Joshua knew, ''Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goeth'' (Josh. 1:9); and the sweetness that Paul knew, ''And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever'' (II Tim. 4:18).

   The Discipline of Duty is not easy nor light, its performance is painful and perilous, but its culmination is delight.

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