(Psalm 18:30)

Dear Editors:We crave a little space in the pages of Help and Food for a testimony which we believe will be for the glory and praise of God, and for the cheer and encouragement of its readers-especially for the tried and suffering among His people.

Some might label this "A dying testimony," but we are pleased to call it "A living testimony." We often call things by a wrong name, like the man who went a long distance to see a sick friend. From reports of his condition he feared he would arrive too late, but thought at least he could be a comfort to the widow. Finding him alive, he said, "I am glad to see you still in the land of the living." The sick one replied, "No, brother you are mistaken, I am still in the land of the dying, but I am going shortly to the land of the living." He made a right diagnosis of both worlds.

Months ago when three skillful surgeons pronounced the word "hopeless" in our case-knowing the nature of the malady (cancer of the stomach) we knew (naturally speaking) there lay before us a long distressing siege of nausea accompanied by emaciation through starvation, and hence intense weakness and languor as the disease made progress, and our first thought was-Why were we not called like a brother beloved who recently dropped in his garden, and like a flash his spirit was in the presence and glory of God?-no weary days and painful nights for him. The rude hand of disease had no time to ravage his form or even to drive the flush from his cheek. But we can neither choose our way of going nor our time. This lies with Him "who doeth all things well." Down through the ages the Lord has taken His people to Himself as He sees fit-some through months and years of pain, and others on the echo of a thunderbolt, and it is for us to meekly bow and say "Thy will be done."

Had we been instantly winged home we would have missed much that we would not have missed under any consideration, for we have found to our intense joy and spiritual profit that He has His time and way of deepening and intensifying in the soul the truths of His Word, thus making Himself real and precious in ways hitherto unknown, or undreamed of. "He hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet." The desert, the fiery furnace, the lion's den, and the dungeon are choice training schools for the soul. The devil may do the "thrusting in," but the Lord there does the sustaining and teaching.

The vine dresser is never nearer the vine than when training it. Our pruning is bitter to the flesh, but most profitable and exhilarating to the soul. The wildest storm is often His kindest whisper, and the heaviest rod His greatest blessing. He not only adjusts the burden to the back, but He prepares the back for multiplied burdens. He does more than "temper the wind to the shorn lamb." He uses the tempest to drive the lamb deeper into His haven of love. He makes what the enemy intends to be our overthrow our very mecca of blessing.

During recent weeks He has at times taken us to such Pisgah heights of joy that the adequate language of our soul might be expressed in Jacob's words of ecstasy, "This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." And as Peter expresses it, "Joy unspeakable and full of glory." These spiritual symposiums, or "glory spells" are the outcome of meditating on Himself and His Word – "My meditation of Him shall be sweet" (Psalm 104). Thus He has become more real and precious to us than we ever supposed He could be on this side of that rapturous hour of seeing Him face to face. He has given us "songs in the night," joy in sorrow, and "bliss" beyond all wilderness expectations.

If joy so great is often ours
On time's dark mountains cold,
What will the glorious fulness be
When we Thy face behold?

If such o'erwhelming stores of bliss
Forestalls that happy hour,
What will the flood tide blessing be
Of God's eternal dower?

Lord, lend Thy grace that we may have
The patience here to wait
The glory of Thy full reserve
Beyond the "rapture" gate.

What must the Apostle have experienced when wafted to Paradise and thrilled and swathed with waves of heavenly glory? The thorn in the flesh was the answer to the earthly side of that question-the heavenly side we know not-Paul himself could not even tell it.

Another side might be briefly stated. If we were more devoted to Him-engrossed with HIMSELF as we should be-He would not need to take us by the hand and lead us into the "The valley of Baca" (weeping) to learn our lessons there.

It is possible to be actively engaged in His service, to serve Him in an average way, and yet be dwelling on the outer rim of things. But He desires us to be constantly abiding in the center and warmth of His love.

Whether He speaks in thunder or in a whisper, let us with calm resignation hear His voice and value whatever deepens in the soul "The things concerning Himself."

Wilderness lessons are not learned in the glory, but we shall praise Him there for all we learn here-by whatever process they were taught.

Let us with meekness kiss the rod-
In patience bear the yoke-
The rod that's wielded over us
Falls not with angry stroke.

It's in the skillful hand of One
Whose heart is filled with love-
For every lesson taught us here
We'll praise Him there, above.

C. C. Crowston