“The Lord works in mysterious ways,” was one thing my Mom often said. And so He does.
An old pastor sat one morning eating oatmeal and toast, and reading Rev. C.H. Surgeon’s comments on:
. . .after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10.
“That was good, Lord,” the pastor said after reading.
“Thank you. I wrote it,” said The Lord.
The old man didn’t bat an eyelash, taking it all in stride as if the Lord spoke each day to him. It occurred to him that some might think it odd that the Lord would speak in such a manner. What about you? Does it seem strange or odd that a man might hear the words of G-d? Or perhaps only odd that the Master of the Universe would say He wrote that commentary, those words, published by Rev. C.H. Spurgeon hundreds of years ago? If it seems odd at all, why? Perhaps you find it objectionable that G-d would speak to a old man who in this world is very small.
G-d spoke to Moses. G-d spoke to Y’shuaJesus. G-d spoke to many individuals, and it is recorded in the Bible. Ah, that’s the problem. Those to whom the Lord spoke are famous people, whose lives are recounted in the scriptures.Yes, certainly that’s true. But why is it not possible that G-d speak to a mere man as that old pastor?
There are a couple of questions one may wish to ask concerning the words attributed to G-d, such as that old man heard. First, one might examine the words to see if they fit in the scriptural box. Are those words consistent with scripture. In this case, in scripture is there anything that might tell us that G-d in fact has spoken to men? Yes. All who are genuine in their believe in G-d understand that the scriptures are inspired by G-d, breathed by G-d, even while being recorded by men. Second, there was a Pharisee, Saul, who was an adversary of the followers of the Way. He was heading to Damascus, on the path of more destruction of Christians. The Lord stopped Saul in his tracks, closed his eyes, and spoke to him. Saul wasn’t famous at the time. Infamous, maybe.
G-d works in mysterious ways. . .
Here’s the text of Rev. Spurgeon’s commentary/devotional.
“You have seen the arch of heaven as it spans the plain: glorious are its colours, and rare its hues. It is beautiful, but, alas, it passes away, and lo, it is not. The fair colours give way to the fleecy clouds, and the sky is no longer brilliant with the tints of heaven. It is not established. How can it be? A glorious show made up of transitory sun-beams and passing rain-drops, how can it abide? The graces of the Christian character must not resemble the rainbow in its transitory beauty, but, on the contrary, must be stablished, settled, abiding. Seek, O believer, that every good thing you have may be an abiding thing. May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock! May your faith be no “baseless fabric of a vision,” but may it be builded of material able to endure that awful fire which shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite. May you be rooted and grounded in love. May your convictions be deep, your love real, your desires earnest. May your whole life be so settled and established, that all the blasts of hell, and all the storms of earth shall never be able to remove you. But notice how this blessing of being “stablished in the faith” is gained. The apostle’s words point us to suffering as the means employed—”After that ye have suffered awhile.” It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong, and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Shrink not then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you.”
Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .
JonahzSong 