9. Devotional: It's Raining Blessing

It's Raining Blessing

by James H. McConkey

For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction. (Genesis 41:52) 

    The summer showers are falling. The poet stands by the window watching them. They are beating and buffeting the earth with their fierce downpour. But the poet sees in his imaginings more than the showers which are falling before his eyes. He sees myriads of lovely flowers which shall be soon breaking forth from the watered earth, filling it with matchless beauty and fragrance. And so he sings:  

“It isn’t raining rain for me, it’s raining daffodils;  

In every dimpling drop I see wild flowers upon the hills.  

A cloud of gray engulfs the day, and overwhelms the town;  

It isn’t raining rain for me: it’s raining roses down.”  

    Perchance some one of God’s chastened children is even now saying, "O God, it is raining hard for me tonight. Testings are raining upon me which seem beyond my power to endure. Disappointments are raining fast, to the utter defeat of all my chosen plans. Bereavements are raining into my life which are making my shrinking heart quiver in its intensity of suffering. The rain of affliction is surely beating down upon my soul these days.”  

    Withal, friend, you are mistaken. It isn’t raining rain for you. It’s raining blessing. For, if you will but believe your Father’s Word, under that beating rain are springing up spiritual flowers of such fragrance and beauty as never before grew in that stormless, unchastened life of yours. You indeed see the rain. But do you see also the flowers?
    You are pained by the testings. But God sees the sweet flower of faith which is upspringing in your life under those very trials. You shrink from the suffering. But God sees the tender compassion for other sufferers which is finding birth in your soul. Your heart winces under the sore bereavement. But God sees the deepening and enriching which that sorrow has brought to you. It isn’t raining afflictions for you. It is raining tenderness, love, compassion, patience, and a thousand other flowers and fruits of the blessed Spirit, which are bringing into your life such a spiritual enrichment as all the fullness of worldly prosperity and ease was never able to beget in your innermost soul.

8. Devotional: In The Valley

In The Valley

by C. H. Von Bogatzky

    I will perform my good word toward you. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then ye shall pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seek me, and find me; I will turn away your captivity. (Jeremiah 29:10-14)

    For the word of the Lord is right. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. (Psalm 33:4, 9) 

    There is a valley where neither sun, moon, nor stars are seen, and in which the Christian has often to travel ; yet in the darkest place of it God is very nigh. This is the valley of extremity. It is into this valley that every soul must go before it can get a hold of Christ. It is here the sinner struggles with Jesus, and says, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me." It is hard work traveling in this valley.

    Were it so light a matter to rely on the faithfulness of God in times of distress, what need to give us so many and various promises? If our faith be right, we must also endure, and wait his time with patience, which is certainly not an easy task; since the promise of the Lord not only tarries very often, but sometimes his providence goes contrary to his word, and makes his word seem to fall to the ground; yet then we must remember that these are the very ways and methods of God, which have ever been in the deep, and acted contrary to our expectation. This the corruption of our natures requires; and the wisdom of God ever chooses, first to help us inwardly, by exercising faith, and patience, and so prepares us for a right use of his outward favours. Thus we receive a double blessing at once from his hands.

    Who shall pretend to teach him skill,
    Or guide the counsels of his will?
    His wisdom, like a sea divine,
    Flows deep and high beyond our line.

7. Devotional: Our Ultimate Value Lies In Our Knowledge Of God

Our Ultimate Value Lies In Our Knowledge Of God

by T. Austin-Sparks

    Our Lord makes the statement that “this is life eternal, that they should know Thee the only true God, and Him, Whom Thou didst send, even Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3). This does not mean merely that eternal life is given on the basis of this knowledge. There can be life with very limited knowledge. But life in fullness is closely related to that knowledge, and the increasing knowledge of Him manifests itself in increasing life. It works both ways; knowledge unto life and life unto knowledge.  

    While the refining of spirit, the development of the graces, the removing of the dross, are all purposes of the fires, yet above and through all is the one object – that we may know the Lord. There is only one way of really getting to know the Lord, and that is experimentally.  

    Our minds are so often occupied with service and work; we think that doing things for the Lord is the chief object of life. We are concerned about our lifework, our ministry. Soul-winning, or teaching believers, or setting people to work, are so much in the foreground. Bible study and knowledge of the Scriptures, with efficiency in the matter of leading in Christian service as the end in view, are matters of pressing importance with all. All well and good, for these are important matters; but, back of everything the Lord is more concerned about our knowing Him than about anything else. It is very possible to have a wonderful grasp of the Scriptures, a comprehensive and intimate familiarity with doctrine; to stand for cardinal verities of the faith; to be an unceasing worker in Christian service; to have a great devotion to the salvation of men, and yet, alas, to have a very inadequate and limited personal knowledge of God within. So often the Lord has to take away our work that we may discover Him. The ultimate value of everything is not the information which we give, not the soundness of our doctrine, not the amount of work that we do, not the measure of truth that we possess, but just the fact that we know the Lord in a deep and mighty way. This is the one thing that will remain when all else passes. It is this that will make for the permanence of our ministry after we are gone. While we may help others in many ways and by many means so far as their earthly life is concerned, our real service to them is based upon our knowledge of the Lord.

6. Hymn: In Trouble And In Grief, O God

In Trouble And In Grief, O God

Author: Richard Thomas Pembroke Pope

1. In trouble and in grief, O God,
    Thy smile hath cheered my way;
    And joy hath budded from each thorn
    That round my footsteps lay.

2. The hours of pain have yielded good
    Which prosperous days refused;
    As herbs, though scentless when entire,
    Spread fragrance when they’re bruised.

3. The oak strikes deeper as its boughs
    By furious blasts are driven;
    So life’s tempestuous storms the more
    Have fixed my heart in heaven.

4. All gracious Lord! whate’er my lot
    In other times may be,
    I’ll welcome still the heaviest grief
    That brings me near to Thee.

5. Hymn: Consider All My Sorrows, Lord!

Consider All My Sorrows, Lord!

Author: Isaac Watts

1. Consider all my sorrows, Lord!
    And thy deliv'rance send.
    My soul for thy salvation faints;
    When will my troubles end?

2. Yet I have found, 'tis good for me
    To bear my Father's rod;
    Afflictions make me learn thy law,
    And live upon my God.

3. This is the comfort I enjoy
    When new distress begins;
    I read thy word, I run thy ways,
    And hate my former sins.

4. Had not thy word been my delight,
    When earthly joys were fled;
    My soul, oppress'd with sorrow's weight
    Had sunk amongst the dead.

5. I know, thy judgments, Lord! are right,
    Though they may seem severe;
    The sharpest suff'rings I endure
    Flow from thy faithful care.

4. Hymn: O That The Lord Would Guide My Ways

O That The Lord Would Guide My Ways

Author: Isaac Watts

Tune: DOWNS, by Lowell Mason

(Vocal)

1. O that the Lord would guide my ways
    To keep his statutes still!
    O that my God would grant me grace
    To know and do his will!

2. O send thy Spirit down to write
    Thy law upon my heart!
    Nor let my tongue indulge deceit,
    Nor act the liar's part.

3. From vanity turn off my eyes;
    Let no corrupt design,
    Nor covetous desires, arise
    Within this soul of mine.

4. Order my footsteps by thy word,
    And make my heart sincere;
    Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
    But keep my conscience clear.

5. My soul hath gone too far astray,
    My feet too often slip;
    Yet since I've not forgot thy way,
    Restore thy wand'ring sheep.

6. Make me to walk in thy commands,
    'Tis a delightful road;
    Nor let my head, or heart, or hands,
    Offend against my God.

3. Hymn: Your Harps, Ye Trembling Saints

Your Harps, Ye Trembling Saints

Author: Augustus M. Toplady

(Audio)

1. Your harps, ye trembling saints,
    Down from the willows take:
    Loud to the praise of love Divine
    Bid every string awake.

2. Though in a foreign land,
    We are not far from home;
    And nearer to our house above
    We every moment come.

3. His grace will to the end
    Stronger and brighter shine;
    Nor present things, nor things to come,
    Shall quench the spark Divine.

4. When we in darkness walk,
    Nor feel the heavenly flame,
    Then is the time to trust our God,
    And rest upon His Name.

5. Soon shall our doubts and fears
    Subside at His control:
    His loving kindness shall break through
    The midnight of the soul.

6. Blest is the man, O Lord,
    That stays himself on Thee;
    Who wait for Thy salvation, Lord,
    Shall Thy salvation see.

2. Devotional: Shortcut?

Shortcut?

by J. R. Miller

I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord’s anointed. 

(1 Samuel 24:10)

    David seemed now to have a short, quick way to the kingdom, but he would not dare to take it. Now the throne was Saul’s—he was the Lord’s anointed. David would not lift a finger to hurry God’s providence, and to become king before God made him king. There often are things that God intends to give us–but which we must wait to receive in his way. Short-cuts in life’s paths are always mistakes in the end. Jacob’s mother knew that Jacob was to have the blessing of the firstborn, but if she had waited it would have come to him without being stained, as it was by her own and Jacob’s deception.  

    Young men are ambitious, and their ambition may be right; but too often they are in such feverish haste to reach what they wish that they take the shortcut of dishonesty to get the sooner to the coveted place. It never pays. David could have been on the throne the next day, but he would have left stains of guilt on the steps as he ascended; it was better far for him to wander on in exile for a time longer, and then reach the throne by a clean path. It is pleasant to see young men get on in life; but we must always ask how they have gotten on, to know whether their elevation is really an honor. The only way to true success is God’s way. We must learn to wait for God.

1. Hymn: O Holy Saviour! Friend unseen!

O Holy Saviour! Friend unseen!

Author: Charlotte Elliott
Tune: FLEMMING, by Friedrich F. Flemming
(Melody)

O Holy Saviour! Friend unseen!

The faint, the weak, on Thee may lean:

Help me, throughout life's varying scene,

By faith to cling to Thee.

Blest with communion so divine,

Take what Thou wilt, shall I repine,

When as the branches to the vine

My soul may cling to Thee?

Far from her home, fatigued, opprest,

Here she has found a place of rest;

An exile still, yet not unblest,

While she can cling to Thee.

Without a murmur I dismiss

My former dreams of earthly bliss;

My joy, my recompense be this,

Each hour to cling to Thee.

What though the world deceitful prove,

And earthly friends and joys remove;

With patient uncomplaining love

Still would I cling to Thee.

Oft when I seem to tread alone

Some barren waste with thorns o'ergrown,

A voice of love, in gentlest tone,

Whispers, "Still cling to Me."

Though faith and hope awhile be tried,

I ask not, need not aught beside:

How safe, how calm, how satisfied,

The souls that cling to Thee!

They fear not life's rough storms to brave,

Since Thou art near, and strong to save;

Nor shudder e'en at death's dark wave;

Because they cling to Thee.

Blest is my lot, whate'er befall:

What can disturb me, who appal,

While, as my strength, my rock, my all,

Saviour! I cling to Thee?