I just read today's entry from Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman, a daily devotion Nyambe sent for me, and felt I wanted to share it. It was written by Frances Ridley Havergal (who also wrote the hymn "Take My Life and Let It Be")
Have you ever heard of anyone being greatly used by Christ who did not first experience a special time of waiting, or a complete upset of his plans first? From the apostle Paul's being sent into the Arabian wilderness for three years...down to the present day, it seems those who will be used will have a time of waiting... My own experience is far less severe than Paul's but reveals the same principle. Once when I thought the door was being thrown open for me to enter the literary filed with a great opportunity, it was just as quickly shut. My doctor stepped in and simple said, "Never! You must choose between writing and living, for you cannot do both." The year was 1860, and I did not come out of my shell of isolation with my book Ministry of Song until 1869. By then I saw the distinct wisdom of having been kept waiting for nine years in the shade...
I laid it down in silence,
This work of mine,
And took what had been sent me--
A resting time.
The Master's voice had called me
To rest apart;
"Apart with Jesus only,"
Echoed my heart.
I took the rest and stillness
From His own Hand,
And felt this present illness
Was what He planned.
How often we choose labor,
When He says "Rest"--
Our ways are blind and crooked;
His way is best.
The work Himself has given,
He will complete.
There may be other errands
For tired feet;
There may be other duties
For tired hands,
The present, is obedience
To His commands.
There is a blessed resting
In lying still,
In letting His hand mold us,
Just as He will.
His work must be completed.
His lesson set;
He is the higher Workman:
Do not forget!
It is not only "working."
We must be trained;
And Jesus "learnt" obedience,
Through suffering gained.
For us, His yoke is easy,
His burden light.
His discipline most needful,
And all is right.
We are but under-workmen;
They never choose
If this tool or if that one
Their hands shall use.
In working or in waiting
May we fulfill
Not ours at all, but only
The Master's will!
--Selected
You write beautifully..sister you are the living embodiment of Jeremiah's words:
ReplyDeleteThrough the LORD’s tender mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23).
How stable God's faithfulness is!
I discovered a link to your blog in my browser history by accident - it's past 1am here in London, but I find myself eagerly devouring your wisdom. I liked the story of you and Chinya bonding as he cut your hair back in Feb. .please send our love to him, Kemi and Enmartz.