FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
IN STEP WITH GOD
[Harry Foster]
IT was Saturday morning and Mr. Masters had planned to walk over to his mother's cottage, which was about four miles from his home. He had four children, all boys, and as he always tried to do something with them on Saturdays, he suggested after breakfast that they should all go over together. The eldest, Jack, replied that he did not think he would go, not if it were to Grandmother's. Had it been to his uncle's farm he would have been glad to go, but as it was to his grandmother's, he [80/81] asked to be excused. 'All right,' his father answered, 'the rest of us can go. Come on, boys!' So the other three began to get ready, but just as they were about to leave, Father remarked that they would not take the usual road but go across the fields. Dick, the second son, objected to this. He hated going that way round and asked his father to change his route and go by the road. Mr. Masters replied that this was impossible. He particularly wanted to go by the cross-country path so that he could buy some flowers for his old mother. Dick answered: 'Then please leave me out. I don't think that I will go.'
This left Albert and Eric, the two younger boys, and the three of them set out happily together. At least, they went happily for a short time, but then Albert seemed to get restive. 'Anything the matter?' asked Father. Albert answered with a question as to whether they could not walk faster. They seemed to be crawling! The truth was that he wanted to go to the next village to visit a school friend, so he was restive at the steady pace which his father took. As a matter of fact, Eric, the youngest, would have liked to have gone faster: indeed, he would have liked to run, but he said nothing and kept close to his father. At last Albert could stand it no longer. 'Do you mind if I hurry on, Father?' he asked, and then, without waiting for an answer, he went striding along on his own.
Father was rather sad. He now had only one son walking with him, but still he was grateful for Eric's company, and they walked and chatted happily together. At last they reached old Mrs. Masters' cottage and were warmly welcomed by her. After a while she asked where the other three boys were, and Father had to make excuses for them. 'Ah, well,' commented Grandmother, 'it was good that Eric walked with his father.' 'Eric walked with his father!' That reminded Mr. Masters of something. What was it? Oh yes, it was his morning reading: "Enoch walked with God" (Genesis 5:24).
When he had read that chapter in the morning he had been rather irritated with Enoch. Why had he been singled out like that? What about all the others? They were older than Enoch. Did they not walk with God, too? He felt quite critical and closed his Bible impatiently. Enoch walked with God, indeed! What about all the rest?
Now it suddenly dawned on him why the others had not done so. In fact, the truth was that he had ceased to walk with God himself and that was why he was irritable. His three sons had not walked with him for different reasons. Jack did not want to go to the same place, Dick did not like the route he had chosen, and Albert had grown impatient with his timing. It was a sad thing that he had missed their companionship, and it made him wonder if God was sad that he had chosen his own way and grown impatient with God's seeming slowness.
IN STEP WITH GOD
[Harry Foster]
IT was Saturday morning and Mr. Masters had planned to walk over to his mother's cottage, which was about four miles from his home. He had four children, all boys, and as he always tried to do something with them on Saturdays, he suggested after breakfast that they should all go over together. The eldest, Jack, replied that he did not think he would go, not if it were to Grandmother's. Had it been to his uncle's farm he would have been glad to go, but as it was to his grandmother's, he [80/81] asked to be excused. 'All right,' his father answered, 'the rest of us can go. Come on, boys!' So the other three began to get ready, but just as they were about to leave, Father remarked that they would not take the usual road but go across the fields. Dick, the second son, objected to this. He hated going that way round and asked his father to change his route and go by the road. Mr. Masters replied that this was impossible. He particularly wanted to go by the cross-country path so that he could buy some flowers for his old mother. Dick answered: 'Then please leave me out. I don't think that I will go.'
This left Albert and Eric, the two younger boys, and the three of them set out happily together. At least, they went happily for a short time, but then Albert seemed to get restive. 'Anything the matter?' asked Father. Albert answered with a question as to whether they could not walk faster. They seemed to be crawling! The truth was that he wanted to go to the next village to visit a school friend, so he was restive at the steady pace which his father took. As a matter of fact, Eric, the youngest, would have liked to have gone faster: indeed, he would have liked to run, but he said nothing and kept close to his father. At last Albert could stand it no longer. 'Do you mind if I hurry on, Father?' he asked, and then, without waiting for an answer, he went striding along on his own.
Father was rather sad. He now had only one son walking with him, but still he was grateful for Eric's company, and they walked and chatted happily together. At last they reached old Mrs. Masters' cottage and were warmly welcomed by her. After a while she asked where the other three boys were, and Father had to make excuses for them. 'Ah, well,' commented Grandmother, 'it was good that Eric walked with his father.' 'Eric walked with his father!' That reminded Mr. Masters of something. What was it? Oh yes, it was his morning reading: "Enoch walked with God" (Genesis 5:24).
When he had read that chapter in the morning he had been rather irritated with Enoch. Why had he been singled out like that? What about all the others? They were older than Enoch. Did they not walk with God, too? He felt quite critical and closed his Bible impatiently. Enoch walked with God, indeed! What about all the rest?
Now it suddenly dawned on him why the others had not done so. In fact, the truth was that he had ceased to walk with God himself and that was why he was irritable. His three sons had not walked with him for different reasons. Jack did not want to go to the same place, Dick did not like the route he had chosen, and Albert had grown impatient with his timing. It was a sad thing that he had missed their companionship, and it made him wonder if God was sad that he had chosen his own way and grown impatient with God's seeming slowness.
Only Eric walked with his father.
Only Enoch walked with God.
God wants me to walk with Him.
This is true. It is also true that if God is to have our companionship and we the joy of pleasing Him, then we must go His way and accept His timing. How about you? H. F.
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