The Present Truth (UK)
1896
April 9, 1896
The Simplicity of the Lord's Work
No man, no matter how high his calling or responsibility, can fully understand the Word of God unless he practises that Word in his daily life. If the truth is made practical, then he gives expression in his character to the comfort and peace of God that passeth understanding. A child in years may be able to comprehend the meaning of the practical lessons of Christ, when the most learned masters and teachers are ignorant of their significance. “Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight.” PrT April 9, 1896, par. 1
It is a dangerous thing for men to resist the Spirit of truth and grace and righteousness, because its manifestations are not according to their ideas, and have not come in the line of their methodical plans. The Lord works in His own way, and according to His own devising. Let men pray that they may be divested of self, and may be in harmony with heaven. Let them pray, “Not my will, but Thine, O God, be done.” Let men bear in mind that God's ways are not their ways, nor His thoughts their thoughts: for He says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” PrT April 9, 1896, par. 2
In the instruction that the Lord gave Gideon when he was about to fight with the Midianites,—that he should go out against his foes with an army of three hundred, blowing trumpets, and carrying empty pitchers in their hands, and shouting, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon,” these precise, methodical, formal men would have seen nothing but inconsistency and confusion. They would have started back with determined protest and resistance. They would have held long controversies to show the inconsistencies and the dangers that would accompany the carrying on of the warfare in such an extreme way, and in their finite judgment they would have considered all such movements as utterly ridiculous and unreasonable. PrT April 9, 1896, par. 3
How unscientific, how inconsistent, would they have thought the movements of Joshua and his armies at the taking of Jericho. “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho and the kings thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And the seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a loud blast with the rams’ horns, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout: and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.” PrT April 9, 1896, par. 4
Where were the scientific methods in this warfare? The Lord works in His own way in order that men shall not lift themselves up in pride of intellect, and take the credit and glory to themselves. The Lord would have every human being understand that His capabilities and endowments are from the Lord. God works by whom He will. He takes those whom He pleases to do His work, and He does not consult those to whom He will send His messenger as to what are their preferences concerning who and what manner of person they would like to bring the message of God to them. PrT April 9, 1896, par. 5
God will use men who are willing to be used. The Lord would use men of the highest intelligence if they would permit Him to mould and fashion them, and to shape their testimony after his own order. Men high or low, learned or ignorant, had better let the Lord manage and take care of the safety of His own ark. The work of men is to obey the voice of God. Whoever has a connection with the work and cause of God, is to be continually under the discipline of God. “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his strength, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord that exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” PrT April 9, 1896, par. 6
Mrs. E. G. White.