Rees Howells once said, "There is nothing in the world better for strengthening one's faith than testings!"
He had many such testings in his life. He studied medicine, and had no "problems" with medicine, even though he saw God heal many people through him. One such test was God telling him not to give medicine to his wife who was in great trouble after childbirth. The Lord spoke to him suredly about the matter, which helped I'm sure, but still the test must've been incredibly hard.
On one trip he had absolutely no money for a train fare. The Holy Spirit asked him, "What would you do if you had the money?" He replied, "I'd go wait in the queue." The answer was to go wait in it. With about ten people ahead of him in line, the doubts came. How embarrassed he'd be when it was his turn and he had no money. But when it was just two people in front of him, a man said, "I'm sorry I can't wait any longer, but I must open my shop." And he placed 30 shillings in Howells' hand.
Once arriving at their mission base in London, they only lacked 3 things for Africa: watches, raincoats, and a fountain pen. They didn't speak to anyone about these needs, except for the Lord. Their main sponsor asked them what kind of watches they had, as his son wanted to buy them one each. He then asked about raincoats, and arranged for paying for one each. And then he said, "Have you seen this kind of fountain pen...?" What amazing provision, and how joyous that must've been. To see the Lord active in your life -- even in the "mundane" things like daily needs.
I remember the night I "came back" to the Lord. I was in my friend's room after a trial where I was put in a place to choose. I had chosen to step over the line into the Lord's kingdom, taking His side in a spiritual battle. Afterwards I felt compelled that I need to write a "resolution" to the Lord, as I knew in my heart the lifestyle changes I would have to make. It wasn't easy counting the cost, because I loved my lifestyle of partying and the potential for premarital sex. I made a mental note that I would write a resolution to the Lord, to specifically give these things up, offering myself to Him. Almost interrupting my thoughts, my friend blurted, "Do you see that pen? It's amazing. It'll write upside-down, sideways, I bet astronauts could take this up in space and write with it. Here, it's yours."
I thought, 'Wow! Well, here's the pen I will write the resolution with.' Then when I arrived home later I found a card shut inside and sticking out of the Bible I had left open earlier that day. 'How nice,' I thought, 'Someone wrote me a note. Probably my mother.' When I opened it, it was blank! 'Oh my gosh!' my mind reeled. 'I've got the pen and now I've got the paper. I will write the resolution.'
Then another funny thing happened as I pondered writing one of my two best friends in high school (Pat Zang and Steve Ivory). 'I must tell them about what happened tonight and how wonderful Jesus is.' This seemed important, and something that might take precedence over the resolution. But I also knew that the resolution was an important milestone for me to cross. I was bewildered. I did not know what to do, so I cracked open the Bible in a random spot and took my finger up in the air like a "tickle rocket" that would land in a giggling child's belly, and it found a place right next to a verse that would hopefully give me some guidance. This is not the Bible scholar's way of seeking God's will, by any stretch, but it worked for me on this night.
"Why worry about the speck in your brother's eye when you have a beam in your own? First remove the beam and then you will see clearly to take the speck from your brother's eye."
Oh my gosh! This was as direct an answer as I could get for this situation. I had already encountered several crazy "coincidences" on this date to make me a believer, so this one was just gravy. What a fun adventure. I still get excited thinking about that.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at June 15, 2006 07:49 AM