Wednesday, July 30, 2008

SILENCE! NO MURMURING!

W.F. BELL
I have read of a gentleman, who, meeting with a shepherd in a misty morning, asked him what weather it would be. "It will be," said the shepherd, "that weather which pleases me." And being courteously requested to express his meaning, replied, "Sir, it shall be whatever weather pleases God; and whatever weather pleases God, pleases me."
"Rest in the Lord [Be silent before Him]; and wait patiently for Him" (Psalm 37:7).
"I charge you, O my soul, not to mutter, nor to murmur, but to be silent under the afflicting hand of God. Be still, leave your muttering, leave your murmuring, leave your complaining, leave your chafing, and vexing, and lay your hand upon your mouth, and be silent. O my soul, be quiet, be silent, else you will one day be called in question for all those inward mutterings, uproars, and passions that are in you, seeing no sufficient cause can be produced why you should murmur, quarrel, or wrangle under the righteous hand of God." (from Thomas Brooks; The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod, 1659)
If America is guilty of any sin above another, it is this sin of complaining and murmuring! May we be freed from this abominable cursing at the providences of God. "Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD" (Lamentations 3:39-40). "Do all things without murmurings and disputings" (Philippians 2:14).

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