Out of Great Darkness

Giving and Getting

Seemingly Small

I enjoy reading about how God uses seemingly small acts of obedience to accomplish far more than we ever dreamed would happen. The “back story” to the hymn, I’m a Child of the King, proves that.

Harriet Buell wrote the words one Sunday while she was walking home from church. She submitted the song for publication. It was printed in the February 1, 1877, issue of the Northern Christian Advocate.

Six years later, when Peter Bilhorn was doing evangelistic work among the cowboys in the West, he and his traveling companions were traveling up the Missouri River on their way to Bismarck. When they stopped at Blunt one Sunday morning to unload freight, a crowd of men and boys came down to the wharf. Mr. Bilhorn took his little organ and went on the wharf-boat to sing a few songs, including I’m a Child of the King.  

He thought nothing more of it, but that was not the end of the story, as Mr. Bilhorn discovered the day he sang that same song in Rev. Moody’s church in Chicago. Afterward, a man in the back of the house stood up and talked about having heard that same song in Blunt, Dakota, two years ago. Although he was then an unsaved man, the song set him to thinking. He decided to accept Christ and was studying for the ministry.

As I reflected on that back story, I felt amazed at the wonderful ways God had used each person’s obedience. The woman, whose heart was filled with gratitude over being a “child of the King,” felt compelled to express her thoughts and to submit them to an editor who chose to publish them. Mr. Bilhorn somehow discovered the song and chose to sing it to the crowd of men and boys. At least one of them chose to believe the Good News that was shared in the simple, yet profound, words penned by Ms. Buell, words  that had finally reached him after having been passed along from person to person.

Dear Reader, since we never know how God will use us to help spread the Good News to those who do not yet know there is a God who loves them and wants to forgive them of their sins and to bring them into His family, may we eagerly do everything, even the seemingly small things, that the Holy Spirit of God prompts us to do. God will take our little and make it much!

JOY

After reading the text of the online obituary for a 66-year-old woman I'd never met, I watched the video tribute created from photos provided by her family. I noticed how her face radiated joy in each of the photos, even in those I assumed were taken during her two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Whether at the beach or other vacation spot or at home or attending the birth of a grandchild or interacting with her six grandchildren…, she seemed to radiate joy and love for others and for life itself. That made me wish I had had the pleasure of knowing her.

Along about the time I read her obituary, my daily Bible readings brought me to several passages about joy. For example, Galatians 5:22 says that joy is produced by the Holy Spirit within those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Joy, along with eight other “fruit” (love, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, fidelity (faithfulness), tolerance, and self-control), will be as evident in the life of a believer as apples on a tree.

Reflecting on that prompted me to ask myself these questions, which you, Dear Reader, may want to ask yourself:

• As others look at my life, what “fruit” (evidence, proof) is there that the Holy Spirit of Christ lives within me?
• Is His “fruit” so evident that even those who don’t know me personally can see it and sense His presence?
• Can they/Do they see there is a distinct (and desirable!) difference in my life than in unbelievers whose lives are controlled by their “lower nature,” which leads them to “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5: 20-21)?

I had fun coloring this card a friend gave me.

God's Inexorable Love

As always when I read books by Elisabeth Elliot, I learn so much about what it means to be a Christian and how to live like one. Currently, I'm reading her book, God's Guidance: A Slow and Certain Light, published by Revel in 1997.

While writing about the importance of obeying God, she summarizes how God's chosen people (the Israelites) failed to trust Him and how they disobeyed Him time and time again. Even so, "In countless ways he bore with them, corrected them, punished them, goaded them, and brought them to the promised land. His love for them was inexorable" (p.45).

Note: I had to look up the pronunciation and definition of the word “inexorable,” whereupon I discovered that in’ eks(uh)r(uh)b(uh)l is an adjective that means “impossible to stop or prevent.” Synonyms are: relentless, unstoppable, inescapable, inevitable, unavoidable, irrevocable, unalterable...

That brought tears to my eyes, since I know His love for me (and for you, Dear Reader) is inexorable. As I reflected on that mind-boggling truth, I recalled the passage of Scripture our minister read and explained the Sunday morning many years ago when I re-committed my life to Christ.

In that passage, the Apostle Paul is praying that the Christians at Ephesus (and you and I) would know (experience; be fully convinced of) the great love God through Christ has for us. In a portion of that powerful prayer, we find these words: "may [you] have the strength to comprehend...what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18-19, ESV).

Believing He loves us far more than we can imagine (or hope!) and responding gladly to that love makes ALL the difference. Because He loves us completely and constantly, we want to serve Him, to obey Him, to please Him... That's a far cry from keeping His commandments because we have to!

Our Life Reflects Our Heart

As water reflects the face,
so one's life reflects the heart.

Wonderful Peace

Several days ago, I suddenly recalled these familiar words and began to sing them while alone in my home:

Peace! Peace! Wonderful peace,

Coming down from the Father above;

Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray

In fathomless billows of love.

I sang or hummed them over and over as I went about my daily tasks, although I had no idea why they had come to mind. I tried my hardest to recall others words in that old hymn, but couldn’t. But for days thereafter, the words I did know continued to minister to me.

One evening, I did a Google search and found the rest of the words, as well as several sites on YouTube that contained videos of various folks singing that song.  As they sang, I felt an even greater peace sweep over me! Thus, Dear Reader, I want to share these words with you, which I can legally do since the words are in public domain—and can be freely used.

I pray these words, written by Warren D. Cornell (1858-1930’s) will minister to you, too. More importantly, I pray that you will experience the peace that God can and will give—in every circumstance—if we are willing to receive it.

Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight

Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;

In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls

O’er my soul like an infinite calm.

Refrain:

Peace! Peace! Wonderful peace,

Coming down from the Father above;

Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray

In fathomless billows of love.

What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,

Buried deep in the heart of my soul;

So secure that no power can mine it away,

While the years of eternity roll. [Refrain]

I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,

Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control:

For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,

And His glory is flooding my soul. [Refrain]

And I know when I rise to that city of peace,

Where the Author of peace I shall see,

That one strain of the anthem the ransomed will sing,

In that heavenly kingdom shall be: [Refrain]

O soul, are you here without comfort or rest,

Walking down the rough pathway of time?

Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark;

O accept this sweet peace so sublime. [Refrain]

Wonderfully Made

Butterflies can't see their wings. 

They can't see how beautiful they are, 

but everyone else can. 

People are like that.

~Unknown

You [my God] created my inmost being; 
you knit me together in my mother's womb. 
I praise you because 
I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
your works are wonderful, 
I know that full well.

~ David, Psalm 139:13-14, NIV

The Road Ahead

Rapid City, South Dakota

As we journey through life, we may feel confident the road ahead seems straight and reasonably easy to travel, as in the photo above. We have a good idea where we're headed and have plans for getting there. But even the best-made plans can and often do go awry, don't they? One moment all is well. In the next, we're dealing with an unexpected "upset" that has left us shocked and shaken and unsure of what to do next.

Sometimes we have a warning, as in the photo below, that there will be hard-to-handle twists and turns on the road ahead. We brace ourselves; we travel more thoughtfully and slowly on the road of life, paying close attention not only to ourselves but also to fellow travelers on life's journey. We try to avoid "colliding" with them or making any errors in judgment that will end in sorrow and/or suffering.

Whether our path seems straight or full of twists and turns, may we agree with David who said, in essence, "No matter where the road of life takes me, I will not fear because You, My God, are with me. Even if my journey takes me through a deep, dark valley or if I have to travel roads that make me feel scared and uncertain, You are always with me, always guiding me, always providing everything I need to make it through life." (See Psalm 23, below.)

South Dakota

The LORD is my shepherd;

   I have everything I need. 

He lets me rest in green meadows;

   he leads me beside peaceful streams.

   He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

   bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk

   through the dark valley of death,

I will not be afraid,

   for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

   protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me

   in the presence of my enemies.

You welcome me as a guest,

   anointing my head with oil. 

   My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

   all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

   forever.

~David, Psalm 23:16, New Living Translation