I know I will be accused of being old fashioned or unwise or even naive for writing these things, but write them I must! I have written similar sentiments before and being roundly condemned, as well as, it has to be said, commended in some quarters.

I am deeply troubled by a generation of preachers and Christian workers who are over-protective of their ‘free time’ and ‘me time’, and their unwillingness to truly, sacrificially, give themselves in the cause of the gospel and the care of souls. Pastors today are asking for contracts of employment with their churches that will define how many hours they can be expected to work. Preachers are telling churches they can’t preach every Sunday, never mind twice every Sunday, because that is asking too much of them.

As I read Church History and the lives of some of the men and women who have been mightily used by God, I find in them an attitude that is as far from that contemporary mentality as you can imagine. People like:

Richard Baxter, the Puritan: “I am contented to consume my body, to sacrifice to God’s service, and to spend all that I have, and to be spent myself, for the souls of men.”

William Grimshaw of Haworth: “Lord, grant that I may never faint till weakness, old age or death invalidate me. By the grace of God, I’m resolved never to flag while I can ride, walk, creep or crawl.”

Henry Martyn, the Missionary to India who died at the age of 31: “Now let me burn out for God.”

Amy Carmichael, another Missionary to India: “I’d rather burn out than rust out.”

And both of the above were probably drawing on George Whitefield, the 18th century preacher who said, “I would rather wear out than rust out.” Whitefield himself is estimated to have preached over 18,000 sermons over a period of 33 years.

Yet, when I share quotes like that with younger men today, they generally recoil in horror at the very idea of being ‘burnt out’. Now I know that being burned out is a medical condition that can paralyse and severely limit our effectiveness for Christ and the gospel, but underlying that sentiment expressed by previous generations of Christians is a desire that whether they live long or short lives, their whole life would be spent in the Master’s service, not being overly concerned for their own welfare. And with that I have to say I strongly concur and want to be identified.

The days we live in are not days for God’s people, least of all, pastors and preachers, to be watching the clock of their contract, or preciously guarding their ‘me time’. These are days of spiritual darkness and warfare, where the gates of the church lie in ruins all around us and countless thousands, within easy reach of our churches, live in ignorance of the truths of the gospel, die in their sins and are lost for eternity.

Perhaps, medically speaking, burn out is not a good option, but I, for one, would certainly rather burn out than rust out. Perhaps a better, a third option, would be to be poured out; spent tirelessly in the cause of the gospel.

It is reckoned that John Wesley travelled over 250 miles a day for 40 years. He preached more than 40,000 sermons, produced 400 books and several languages to help spread the Gospel. When in his eighties, he was somewhat frustrated that he was no longer able to write for more than 15 hours a day or preach more than twice a day. He even complained that there was at this time in his life a slight tendency to lie in bed until 5:30 in the morning!

If you want to learn how the Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon, was poured out, week in and week out, read this article. Or make this prayer by Bessie Hatcher, your prayer as I make it mine, afresh, today

O God, the world is lost in sin,
And so few that seem to care!
Many of whom profess Thy name
No burden will help to bear.
We need a passion, Lord, for souls,
To bring the lost back to Thee;
Our hearts must be stirred, till all have heard
At least once of Calvary.

Chorus:
Let me burn out for Thee, dear Lord,
Burn and wear out for Thee.
Don’t let me rust, or my life
Be a failure, my God to Thee.
Use me and all I have, dear Lord,
And get me so close to Thee
That I feel the throb of the great heart of God,
Until I burn out for Thee.¹

How cold has been our giving, Lord!
How selfish our love has been,
Keeping from those who never heard
The gospel that saves from sin!
How often we have turned aside,
Neglecting to do our part,
Forgetting Thy tears and agony,
Forgetting Thy bleeding heart!

Meet us and break us up, dear Lord,
Until driven to our knees.
Bare to our gaze Thy cross and love,
Of blood-baptized Calvary.
Speak till we hear again Thy call,
And hold nothing back from Thee.
Oh, burn on our hearts the hopeless wail
Of souls damned eternally.

O God, with shame I humbly bow,
In tears and with contrite heart.
Forgive me for the broken vows,
And failure to do my part.
I heed Thy call and say, “Farewell”
To all that would hinder me
Thy grace and Thy love to lost ones tell,
And my life burn out for Thee.

I am not sure that anyone has put this better than Oswald Chambers, who wrote, “The process of being made broken bread and poured out wine means that you have to be the nourishment for other souls until they learn to feed on God. They must drain you to the dregs. Be careful that you get your supply, or before long you will be utterly exhausted. Before other souls learn to draw on the life of the Lord Jesus direct, they have to draw on it through you; you have to be literally “sucked,” until they learn to take their nourishment from God. We owe it to God to be our best for His lambs and His sheep as well as for Himself.

“Has the way in which you have been serving God betrayed you into exhaustion? If so, then rally your affections. Where did you start the service from? From your own sympathy or from the basis of the Redemption of Jesus Christ? Continually go back to the foundation of your affections and recollect where the source of power is. You have no right to say – “O Lord, I am so exhausted.” He saved and sanctified you in order to exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that your supply comes from Him. “All my fresh springs shall be in Thee. (Psalm 87:7)” (My Utmost For His Highest February 9)