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TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
November, 1939
Try Thanksgiving A missionary who had been passing through a severe trial was thoroughly discouraged. He could not seem to get light or victory. But one day, the Lord directed his glance to a wall motto of two words, “TRY THANKSGIVING,” and by obeying this instruction, he was led immediately into peace and rejoicing. . . . The motto was simply a terse way of saying, “In every thing give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18); “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thess. 5:16). The comments on this page are the testimonies of other Christians who have experienced the practical value of praising the Lord.
No Hardship At All! | (The following testimony comes from a young woman who is blind and whom the Lord is graciously using in the work of preparing and distributing gos pel literature among other sightless in dividuals.) We were leaving for a speaking to.ur the daj& your letter arrived, and our magazines went out that day also, which meant that we were too busy for words! . . . I suppose you would like me to tell something about myself and my handicap, but I honestly do not know what to say. I lost my sight when I was two years old, so I do not remember ever seeing. That being the case, I have never gone through any real testing because of my blindness, for I grew up with my handicap and never needed to be adjusted to it, How good the Lord has been! Then, too. He has always given me many fine friends. I never have been a shut-in nor have I felt any real lack in my life that seeing would provide. My great grief is that I am not as appreciative as I should be.—K. L., Paw Paw, Mich. , God Triumphs Through Praise ;We were living in a cottage amid the beautiful hills of Wisconsin when one day the postman brought a letter from a loved one which told of sore afflic tion that had come to that home. The need was of such a nature that there seemed no way out, humanly speaking. We dropped on our knees there by our kitchen stove, and the Holy Spirit clear ly brought this verse to mind: “Whoso offereth the offering of thanksgiving glorifieth Me; and openeth a way where by I may show him the victory of God” (a possible rendering of Psalm 50:23). At once we felt that praise was the key to the situation; therefore not a single petition was offered—simply praise to the One who is able for all situations, who majors in the seeming impossibilities. We were not at all sur prised when later word proved that God had brought glorious deliverance. —S. W., Albert Lea, Minn.
Giving Thanks When Death Comes The hardest trial of my life was the death of our oldest daughter just as she was blossoming into lovely young womanhood and had expressed a desire to give herself to mission work. It has also been the sweetest and most fruitful experience to me. The peculiar circumstances attending my praying then and at certain other times will never be forgotten. Some years before, a younger child had been desperately ill, and upon the day of the crisis I had at three separate times been led to Mark 11:24: "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” I claimed that promise and the child recovered. Again, a friend who was the mother of young children lay ex tremely ill. I prayed, and received the quiet assurance that she would recover. At another time, our son came home in the evening and told me that a lad in whom we were much interested was critically ill of pneumonia. Immediate ly I tried to pray for his recovery but found it impossible to do so. Next morning I learned that at the time I was trying to pray he was already dead. Our daughter whom God chose to take home was ill only four days, and only on the last day did we realize that her condition was critical. As I sat with her that last afternoon, I tried again and again to pray the prayer of faith for her recovery. I found that though I said the words over and over, the only real prayer I could offer was one of thanksgiving that God had lent her to us. I confess that there was a panic of anguish in my heart at the time that my faith could find no sense of assurance. Only after all was over did I realize that it had been the restraint of infinite love which was laid upon me. The Father’s sweet'purpose in refusing has been increasingly re vealed by the years. It was all of grace that we were afflicted. A long lifetime of testings has made of He brews 4:14-16 the strong _ tower of our souls. We run into if and are safe. —O. W. O., Monroe, la.
Using Waiting Time for Praise When calling on newspaper editors in an effort to interest them in printing Sunday-school lesson helps in their pa pers, I often had to await their not very readily granted pleasure. One of these lengthy waits occurred in Hartford, Connecticut. Following some undefinable impulse, I took to walking round and round the city block in which the newspaper offices were sit uated, whistling the hymn: “What a friend we have in Jesus.” After a while I was surprised to find that others had begun whistling the same time. The discovery encouraged me to continue, till there was positiyely a chorus of whistlers, and some were even singing the words of that glorious hymn. I wonder what the angels thought of that street concert. # —H. C. H., Los Angeles, Calif.. When God Took Me At My Word The hardest experience of my life oc curred a few years ago. My husband was far away in the Lord’s work. One morning I arose to find my oldest daughter’s bed' empty. She had gone in the night, actually had run away! For days the police searched but in. vain. My days could be filled with work, but the nights were only long eternities of blackness and despair. Be fore this in a women’s prayer meeting I had prayed—and meant it —“Lord, save my girl at any cost!” Was this then the cost? She was found by a friend later and was taken’to a rescue home. Examination showed no loss of virtue—I had that to praise God for. She had gone because she craved more freedom in dancing, movies, and the like. In this home, to which she was taken, my girl was gloriously saved, and after some weeks she returned to me a changed person. In this experience the Lord taught me an unforgettable lesson: If it meant so much t6 me to have our honor and [Continued on page 421]
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