and health and earthly joys. But our neighbors can tell what our relation ship to God is when trouble comes in like a flood. There lives in Australia a Miss Hig gins who knows what it means to suffer for Christ’s sake. Years ago she was afflicted with a disease that neces sitated the amputation of one arm, then the other, then both legs. Noth ing daunted, she had a little pad made for her shoulder and learned to write by the movement of her body. For twenty-five years she has spent her days writing letters to those in sorrow, bearing witness to the love and faithfulness of God. When Dr. Torrey and D r. C h a p ma n were preaching in Australia, they went to see her. And as they came away, Dr. Chapman testified that he had never known before just what the grace of God could do. And this brings us to the next reason why a loving Father permits His children to suffer.
revelation. He had been caught up to the third heaven, instructed of God in the great doctrines he was to give to the church. (See II Cor. 2:1-4; com pare Rom. 16:25, 26; Gal. 1:11-17; Eph. 3:1-11.) To keep him humble, in the face of these marvelous privi leges, God allowed him to suffer “ a thorn in the flesh.” Bible students generally agree that it was a very poor eyesight, for often Paul had to dictate his letters to another. What ever it was, it was “ in the flesh.” It was physical. Concerning it, he writes further, saying: “ For this thing I be sought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, M y grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” These wonderful words have comforted thousands of sorrow ing hearts since Paul’s day. Can you and I say with Paul in reply, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” ? (See II Cor. 12:8,9.) Many Christians today are familiar with the life-story of Annie Johnson Flint, who a few years ago went to be with Christ. An orphan at the age of six, she and her sister were adopted by a man and his wife in Vermont. Gifted with a talent for music, Annie Johnson Flint, had hopes for a bril liant career in this art. But at an early age arthritis fastened its grip on her body; and by the time she was twenty-five, she was a real sufferer. Many years she lived, through her pain, to witness for the Lord she loved, spending her days in an in valid’s chair or confined to a bed of pain. Yet she accepted her suffering as a trust from God, and proved the sufficiency of His grace. Among her many beautiful poems which exalt the Lord Jesus and render praise to Him and His ways with His redeemed children, there is one that aptly ex presses the thought we are dwelling upon here. It is based on the words found in James 4:6. “H e Giveth More Grace?’ “ He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater; He sendeth more strength when the labors increase; To added affliction He addeth His mercy; To multiplied trials He multiplies peace. When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed ere the day is half done, When we reach the end of our hoarded resources, (Concluded on N ext Page) 31
to why these things are so? Then trust in the Lord, and stay upon your God! Let me tell you how that text be came precious to me. I had two Chris tian friends in Indianapolis, a man and his wife who were serving the Lord in the Union Rescue Mission of that city. My friend had been a very profane man, employed by a railroad company before his conversion. But he was wonderfully saved; and pos sessing real gifts of leadership, he was put in charge of this evangelical center. The Mission was conducted in a vacated theatre building, which seated about three thousand people. My friend soon became a leader among all the evangelical -forces of that city. Then one Lord’s Day after the morning service, I had just sat down to dinner when a long-distance call told me that after the Saturday eve ning meeting at the Mission on the previous day my two friends had gone out for a little relaxation. Their car was struck by an inter-urban express train, and both of them were instantly killed. They themselves went into the pres ence of the Lord they loved, which was “ far better” than any earthly ex perience; but they left behind them a stricken family who wondered why God had permitted such a tragic death, especially when His servants were being so greatly used for His glory. I was asked to have a part in the funeral service. A son of the man and a sister of his wife met me at the station. They took me to the scene of the accident, and the sister said: “ I’ve been a Christian twenty years. I have trusted through light and shadow. But for the first time in my life I am in dense darkness. Can you give me a text of Scripture that will meet my need?” And immediately the Holy Spirit flashed into my mind Isaiah 50:10. I read, line by line, asking her if it fit her case. She said it did. And it fits the case of every groping, trou bled soul who would prove the suffi ciency of God’s grace. In the time of storm, my friend, you need an anchor outside your own life and mind, even as the anchor is cast outside the ship at sea. You must be anchored in a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ who died and rose again for you, who loves you with an ever lasting love. Paul knew what it was to prove the sufficiency of God’s grace. To him was given “ a thorn in the flesh”—to quote the great apostle, “ the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (II Cor. 12: 7). To him God had given a special
The Suffering Saint Proves the Sufficiency of God’s Grace There is a verse, Isaiah 50:10, which is like balm to the troubled soul: “ Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” Isaiah, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, was addressing those of God’s people, Israel, who feared the Lord; that is, they put in Him a reverential trust. They obeyed the voice of His servants, the prophets. Yet they were walking in darkness, without light to understand the mean- ing of their trials and suffering. And to such he said, “ Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” Is that your experience, my broth er? Have you lost your wealth? Are you suffering from a weak body? Have your family and friends for saken you? Have you “no light” as APRIL, 1959
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