Keeping a List

September 28, 2009

Dear Fellow Travelers,

For reasons that would probably seem strange to most people, I am reading Arnold Dallimore’s book, “George Whitefield: The life and times of the great evangelist of the 18th century revival” and I am loving every page of it (all 600 of them!).
As you may (or may not) know, he was a contemporary with John & Charles Wesley and they were all the better for it. Although it took some time for God to reveal the truth to Whitefield, when he finally saw it, his life was forever changed. The following is a quote from this book (p. 80) that he entered into his diary after his conversion but before the Lord revealed the doctrines of grace to him. It is a list of criteria which he used each night as a basis of judging himself on his actions during the day. Sadly, he faithfully carried out this exercise primarily out of his fear of having to face the judgment seat of God without suffi-cient assets in his account to satisfactorily please God.
Have I,
1. been fervent in private prayer?
2. used stated hours of prayer?
3. used ejaculation every hour?
4. after or before every deliberate conversation or action, considered how it might tend to God’s glory?
5. after any pleasure, immediately given thanks?
6. planned business for the day?
7. been simple and recollected in everything?
8. been zealous in undertaking and active in doing what good I could?
9. meek, cheerful, affable in everything I said or did?
10. been proud, vain, unchaste, or enviable of others?
11. been recollected in eating and drinking? Thankful? Temperate in sleep?
12. taken time for giving thanks according to Law’s rules?
13. been diligent in studies?
14. thought or spoken unkindly of anyone?
15. confessed all sins?
This is what Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-29).
Of this I am certain: the only people who ever experience what Jesus said in this passage are those who are blessed to have been given eyes to see the doctrines of grace. The rest simply continue adding to Whitefield’s list.