April 14

Keeping time with God

Traversing one night a city street, I was startled by a sharp clanging above my head. On looking up, I found myself directly beneath the tower wherein a huge clock was striking the midnight hour. I took my watch from my pocket, and lo, the slender, overlying hands were pointing exactly to the hour of twelve. It scarcely seemed possible that that tiny piece of mechanism in my hand could keep time with the huge machinery that filled the whole room of the tower, but the proof was before me, and as I gazed at the two pairs of hands of such diverse proportions, I understood as never before that the most insignificant being needed only to be clean, in running order, and divinely regulated, to keep time with Divinity itself.
—Christian Observer.

No matter by what routes God may see fit to lead His children, the train of deliverance and needed help will always move on schedule time. Behold Job, apparently deserted by both God and man, sitting in the ashes, a spectacle both to angels and men, a mystery to Satan; yet not forgotten by Him Whose ways are perfect. The train arrives. His latter glory is greater than the former; for a small moment he was forsaken, but with great mercies did God gather him.
Elijah goes from his retreat to find the widow who is commanded to feed him. At the gate of Zarephath a widow comes out to gather sticks to kindle her last fire, and to cook her last meal; just then the “train arrives.” As he reaches the city, the widow is there. Not “a widow,” but the widow God has spoken of. To both, this is a deliverance. Elijah finds a home; the widow, a supply to her needs until God sends plenty to all around.
To send a minister to board with a widow whose “woodpile” consisted of two sticks, and whose pantry was supplied with just enough for two meals with two to feed, may seem strange to man; but God’s way is perfect.
—The Earnest Christian

Read full article...