Whispers of His Power – SEPTEMBER 22

Jas. 1.23:  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.

Archbishop Benson said that James 1.23 meant:  ‘If any man is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man who observeth the face of his birth in a mirror.’  He showed how ‘the study of God’s word makes us see as in a mirror the face of our birth, the man that God meant us to be.  If we remember that vision, and translate it at once into action, then we shall be gradually transformed according to God’s loving purpose for us.  But if, after seeing the vision, we go away and straightway forget what manner of man we were, then of course we shall not see the face of our birth quite so clearly next time’ (Speculum Animae)

We all know that the Bible is the most wonderful book in the world.  Various translations, such as Weymouth’s, make it clear that more than just ordinary looking in the mirror is meant:  ‘He is like a man who carefully looks at his own face in a mirror?  More is meant than just a quick run through the appointed chapter or portion (if we use such helps to regularity).  We must look closely and continue looking.

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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

Unless otherwise stated, biblical quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.

The following abbreviations are used to refer to other versions and sources:

BCP:               Book of Common Prayer, the Great Bible of Coverdale

Conybeare:       W. J. Conybeare, The Epistles of Paul (a translation)

Delitzsch:        F. Delitzsch, Notes on Job and the Psalms

Kay:                W. Kay, The Psalms (a translation)

LXX:              The Septuagint

Moffatt:           J. Moffatt, The New Testament: a new translation

Rotherham:      J. B. Rotherham, The Emphasized Bible Revised Version

RV:                 Revised Version

Way:              A. Way, The Letters of St Paul (a translation)

Westcott:        F. Westcott, Notes on the Gospel of St John

Weymouth:      R. F. Weymouth, The New Testament in Modern Speech

Young:            R. Young, A Literal Translation of the Bible

Verses of poetry without quotation marks were written by Amy Carmichael.