“Why Does a God of Love Allow Suffering ” – Dr. Helen Roseveare –
“And then He gave me these words: ‘Can you thank Me for trusting you with this experience, even if I never tell you why’ “? Dr. Helen Roseveare (1925-2016)
You Feed Them
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
But he answered, ” you give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five-and two fish.”
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Mark 6:35-44
Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.Darkness Grim
And though this world, with devils filled, should
threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph thru us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.
A Verse from the Hymn: “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” by Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Perfect Solitude
He went up into the mountain apart to pray:
and when evening was come,
he was alone.
Matthew 14:23
The man Christ Jesus felt the need of perfect solitude – Himself alone, entirely by Himself, alone with Himself. We know how much intercourse with men draws us away from ourselves and exhausts our powers. The man Christ Jesus knew this, too, and felt the need of being by Himself again, of gathering all His powers, of realizing fully His high destiny, His human weakness, His entire dependence on the Father.
How much more does the child of God need this – himself alone with spiritual realities, himself alone with God the Father. If ever there were one who could dispense with special seasons for solitude and fellowship, it was our Lord. But He could not do His work or maintain His fellowship in full power, without His quiet time…
-Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
from Streams In The Desert Volume One by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
That Solitude
In such a universe thine every thought would be
“God and I! God and I!”
And yet He is as near to thee as that – as near as if
in the boundless spaces there throbbed no heart but His and
thine. Practice that solitude, O my soul! Practice
the expulsion of the crowd!
Practice the stillness of thine own heart! Practice
the solemn refrain “God and I! God and I!” Let none
interpose between thee and thy wrestling angel! Thou
shalt be both condemned and pardoned when thou shalt
meet Jesus alone! – George Matheson (1842-1906)
From Streams In The Desert Volume One by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
