Only What's Done for Christ will Last

     Welcome! Today I'm going to be talking about a man who gave nearly his entire adult life in service to the Lord, and who also gave us a beautiful poem I've loved since the day I heard it quoted by our youth pastor. Introducing… (drumroll) C.T. Studd!!

      Charles Thomas Studd was born on December 2, 1860 to a wealthy family in England. When he was a teenager, his father, Edward, committed his life to Christ at a D.L. Moody campaign in England. Charles soon followed at age 16.

     Charles went to school at Cambrige, and he became a well-known cricket player in his day. He was famous to cricket fans around the world. But when he finished school at Cambridge, he realized he didn't want to pursue a career in athletics. He said, "How could I spend the best years of my life in living for the honors of this world, when thousands of souls are perishing every day?"

     He soon after left England to serve as a missionary in China. He spent a decade there, mostly working in a rehabilitation center for opium addicts, sharing the gospel with them. He also married his wife Pricilla while in China.

     After a few years on furlough in England, Charles moved his family to India, where he served as a local church pastor for about seven years.

     At the end of the seven years, Charles began to believe that God wanted him to take the gospel to the jungles of Africa. Over the next two decades, Charles established missionary stations in the heart of Africa, wrote over 200 hymns, and translated the New Testament into the native language.

     C.T. Studd died in Africa at the age of 70. He spent about 37 years serving God in China, India and Africa. Through his ministry, thousands of people were reached with the gospel, many of whom had never heard it before.

      C.T. Studd was also the man who wrote Only One Life, the poem I mentioned above. Below are a few stanzas. If you'd like to read the whole thing, see this website.

  

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,

Only one life, yes only one,

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, “twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”

     And finally… Our quote for the week is the two lines repeated often in the poem, which I think C.T. Studd truly lived out.

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last. 

     Hope you enjoyed the post, and have a wonderful week!!