Category: Smith, Hannah Whitehall

The Shepherd knows what pastures are best for his sheep

Sr. Dorcee, belovedLeave a comment

From a devotional book first published in 1884.  (Don’t you love old books?)  Here is the entry for January the thirty-first.

Prov 3.6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

Ps 23.2 He leads me.

In “pastures green”?  Not always; sometimes He
Who knoweth best, in kindness leadeth me
In weary ways, where heavy shadows be.

So, whether on the hill-tops high and fair
I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where
The shadows lie, what matter?  He is there.   (Henry H. Barry)

The Shepherd knows what pastures are best for his sheep, and they must not question nor doubt, but trustingly follow Him.  Perhaps He sees that the best pastures for some of us are to be found in the midst of opposition or of earthly trials.  If He leads you there, you may be sure they are green for you, and you will grow and be made strong by feeding there.  Perhaps He sees that the best waters for you to walk beside will be raging waves of trouble and sorrow.  If this should be the case, He will make them still waters for you, and you must go and lie down beside them, and let them have all their blessed influences upon you.  (Hannah Whitehall Smith)

Singing temptations away

Sr. Dorcee, belovedLeave a comment

How do you fight temptation?  As we journey through the desert of Lent, we are sure to face temptations.  Try this advice from Hannah Whitehall Smith, a nineteenth century write and evangelist:

Then my enemies will be turned back in the day when I call.  This I know, that God is for me. (Ps 56.9)

Do you know what the psalmist knew?  Do you know that God is for you, and that he will cause your enemies to turn back?  If you do, then go out to meet your temptations, singing a song of triumph as you go.  Meet your very next temptation in this way.  At its first approach, begin to give thanks for the victory.  Claim continually that you are more than conqueror through him who loves you, and refuse to be frightened off by any foe.  Shout the shout of faith with Joshua and Jehoshaphat and David and Paul.  I can assure you that when you shout, all your enemies will fall down dead before you.

Singing is such a splendid way of disarming the devil!  It feeds your soul and drives him away, as Amy Carmichael reminds us:

The reason why singing is such a splendid shield against the fiery darts of the devil is that it greatly helps us to forget him, and he cannot endure being forgotten.  He likes us to be occupied with him, what he is doing (our temptations), with his victories (our falls), with anything but our glorious Lord.  So sing.  Never be afraid of singing too much.  We are much more likely to sing too little.