{"id":157,"date":"2006-10-03T11:48:00","date_gmt":"2006-10-03T15:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/?p=157"},"modified":"2013-06-28T15:50:00","modified_gmt":"2013-06-28T19:50:00","slug":"do-the-next-thing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/?p=157","title":{"rendered":"Do the Next Thing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here is a poem which contains much wisdom for Christian living in general and is very helpful for pastoral ministry as well. I found it in Elisabeth Elliot’s The Shaping of a Christian Family<\/a>\"\" (pg.178-179). Elisabeth Elliot’s writings have meant a lot to me along the way, and I have often heard her discuss her “do the next thing”\u009d philosophy. I did not realize until recently that her language came from this poem which her mother had. There is much simple wisdom here. Do you find yourself on Monday feeling your soul is scorched, terribly aware of your inadequacies, fearful of what is to come? Since God is still in heaven and His steadfast Word declares His love for you, just carry on and do the next thing. Take the next step of obedience. Do you worry how your children will turn out, what the future will hold for your church, how the finances will look at the end of the month? Resist the allure of self pity, and just take the next step of obedience. We are typically given enough grace just for the next step. Fret not about what lies around the bend. Perform faithfully the next step, and we will make it home safely in the end.<\/p>\n

This poem is a balm to my soul.<\/p>\n

From an old English parsonage down by the sea
\nThere came in the twilight a message to me;
\nIts quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,
\nHath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
\nAnd on through the doors the quiet words ring
\nLike a low inspiration: “DOE THE NEXTE THYNGE.”\u009d<\/p>\n

Many a questioning, many a fear,
\nMany a doubt, hath its quieting here.
\nMoment by moment, let down from Heaven,
\nTime, opportunity, and guidance are given.
\nFear not tomorrows<\/em>, child of the King,
\nThrust them with Jesus, doe the nexte thynge<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Do it immediately, do it with prayer;
\nDo it reliantly, casting all care;
\nDo it with reverence, tracing His hand
\nWho placed it before thee with earnest command.
\nStayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
\nLeave all results, doe the nexte thynge<\/em><\/p>\n

Looking for Jesus, ever serener,
\nWorking or suffering, be thy demeanor;
\nIn His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
\nThe light of His countenance be thy psalm,
\nStrong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.
\nThen, as He beckons thee, doe the nexte thynge<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

–Anonymous<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here is a poem which contains much wisdom for Christian living in general and is very helpful for pastoral ministry as well. I found it in Elisabeth Elliot’s The Shaping of a Christian Family (pg.178-179). Elisabeth Elliot’s writings have meant a lot to me along the way, and I have often heard her discuss her …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Do the Next Thing’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=157"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3691,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157\/revisions\/3691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}