Whispers of His Power – APRIL 3

Ps. 68.3:  But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

In Pilgrim’s Progress the Interpreter showed Christian the fire burning against the wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it to quench it. But when he went to the ‘backside’ of the wall, ‘he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of the which he did also continually cast, but secretly, into the fire.’

There are times in most lives when it is hard to see how the fire is kept burning. We see him who casts the water.  We do not see the Man with the vessel of oil in His hand. And yet He is there all the time.  This ‘wall’ which prevents us seeing what truly is, teaches us to walk by faith and not by sight.

But in His tender love our Lord does give us proof of His presence behind the wall. We cannot see Him, but we can hear Him speak.  As a mother’s voice can reassure her child in the dark, so indeed can His voice reassure us even though we cannot see Him.

‘It may be my imagination.’  The whisper is as a drop of that water that is perpetually cast on the fire of faith and love.  Let a question answer it for us.  ‘Can imagination stay the heart?  It may uplift it for a moment, but can it steady it, hold it in peace? Can it strengthen it?’  No, it cannot, so let us trust and not be afraid.  It was our Lord and not another who spoke to us.

Let us ‘be delighted with joy’ then, as the Septuagint translates ‘exceedingly rejoice’.  Let us not waste one hour in fear, in dullness, in despondency, for He is never nearer than when we do not see Him but yet stay our hearts on Him.

oooOOOooo

These words are from ’Whispers of His Power’ a collection of writings that Amy Carmichael wrote for her ‘children’ and others associated with the Dohnavur Fellowship. and are Copyright © The Dohnavur Fellowship 1982