A Simple Narrative(Cont.)

In the several visits which I paid to this poor distressed and distressing object, I never failed to exhort her to cry earnestly to God for that deliverance from trouble which she so evidently needed and which none but God could possibly afford her. To such exhortations she steadfastly replied that she could not pray, that she knew not how to pray, and that God would not hear such an unworthy wretch as herself. When I asked her on what her chief desires were fixed, she told me that nothing but the knowledge of Christ, of her interest in Him, and of the pardon of her sins could content and satisfy the desires of her heart. I laboured then to convince her that these desires were the very essence of true prayer and that with these desires she must be considered as actually engaged in prayer as long as they prevailed. I suggested to her from the Word of God that “The Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not His prisoners” and that she evidently was a prisoner and a captive, shut up under the power of unbelief and unable to come forth. I told her that Christ was anointed for this very end, “to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison to them that are bound.” I pointed out to her that to feel herself in this condition was of all things most desirable, that this proved her to be a sensible sinner in scriptural language, that this feeling made her case hopeful because “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” and that His Name was to be called Jesus because He would “save His people from their sins.” If any man or woman feels no burden of sin and is not experimentally acquainted with its heavy weight, how can Christ as a Saviour and Deliverer be suited to him or her? That gospel which holds forth Christ would be received as good tidings only by those who are weary and heavy laden; such only did Christ invite to come unto Him, and such only ever did or will come.

At God’s time

Although I thus preached continually and my hearer could not help but assent to the truth of what I said, we both found that no one can receive anything to any saving purpose except it be given him from above. She wished to believe, and I earnestly desired and prayed for the same thing. “For the vision is yet for an appointed time,” beyond the bounds of which it will not tarry a single moment. She was called to wait the Lord’s leisure as was I but, blessed be God and blessed be His Name, He did not suffer either of us to be ashamed. “I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me in vain.”

Deliverance

It was not long before the time came that the Lord was to say to the prisoner, “Go forth” and to her that had been a considerable period sitting in darkness, “Show thyself.” The bonds by which she had been holden were to be snapped asunder, and she was to experience that freedom wherewith God makes His people free. How was this to be brought about and accomplished? If it had been done by any means other than the Word of God, we might have suspected the truth and reality of the deliverance, but God made it manifest that the work was all His own. He spake, and it was done at once; indeed, there is nothing which can resist the power of His Word. In the old creation as well as in the new, all things were made by the Word of His power, and by the same word all things are still upholden and kept in order. He said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” Today He still says in a spiritual sense, “Live,” and spiritual life takes possession of him who up until this moment has been dead in trespasses and sins.

God’s mercy

It may be asked, what was the particular word spoken to the heart of the poor woman? It was this: “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath, I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.” These were applied with such force and power to her soul that she could not resist them, and they brought immediate comfort to her dejected spirit. Indeed, what words could be better calculated for such a glorious purpose than these? After feeling oneself sinking into the mire of despondency, to be enabled to realize solid rest by a sense of the loving kindness of God and a lively hope in His mercy is an exchange of the most delightful nature. This is precisely what David so earnestly prayed for in Psalm 61, “When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I,” and why he blesses God in Psalm 40 as having done this for him: “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Sooner or later this shall take place in the experience of every one of God’s family. The assurance has proceeded from the mouth of Truth itself, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Adapted from The Sower

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen