Oloyede's Blog

Making Straight the Crooked Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked – Eccl 7:13 Often God seems to place His children in positions of profound difficulty, leading them into a wedge from which there is no escape; contriving a situation which no human judgment would have permitted, had it been previously consulted. The very cloud conducts them thither. You may be thus involved at this very hour. It does seem perplexing and very serious to the last degree, but it is perfectly right. The issue will more than justify Him who has brought you hither. It is a platform for the display of His almighty grace and power. He will not only deliver you; but in doing so, He will give you a lesson that you will never forget, and to which, in many a psalm and song, in after days, you will revert. You will never be able to thank God enough for having done just as He has. —Selected “We may wait till He explains, Because we know that Jesus reigns.” It puzzles me; but, Lord, Thou understandest, And wilt one day explain this crooked thing. Meanwhile, I know that it has worked out Thy best— Its very crookedness taught me to cling. Thou hast fenced up my ways, made my paths crooked, To keep my wand’ring eyes fixed on Thee; To make me what I was not, humble, patient; To draw my heart from earthly love to Thee. So I will thank and praise Thee for this puzzle, And trust where I cannot understand. Rejoicing Thou dost hold me worth such testing, I cling the closer to Thy guiding hand. —F.E.M.I.

Making Straight the Crooked Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked – Eccl 7:13 Often God seems to place His children in positions of profound difficulty, leading them into a wedge from which there is no escape; contriving a situation which no human judgment would have permitted, had it been previously consulted. The very cloud conducts them thither. You may be thus involved at this very hour. It does seem perplexing and very serious to the last degree, but it is perfectly right. The issue will more than justify Him who has brought you hither. It is a platform for the display of His almighty grace and power. He will not only deliver you; but in doing so, He will give you a lesson that you will never forget, and to which, in many a psalm and song, in after days, you will revert. You will never be able to thank God enough for having done just as He has. —Selected “We may wait till He explains, Because we know that Jesus reigns.” It puzzles me; but, Lord, Thou understandest, And wilt one day explain this crooked thing. Meanwhile, I know that it has worked out Thy best— Its very crookedness taught me to cling. Thou hast fenced up my ways, made my paths crooked, To keep my wand’ring eyes fixed on Thee; To make me what I was not, humble, patient; To draw my heart from earthly love to Thee. So I will thank and praise Thee for this puzzle, And trust where I cannot understand. Rejoicing Thou dost hold me worth such testing, I cling the closer to Thy guiding hand. —F.E.M.I.

Meet Him in the Morning Be ready in the morning, and come up ...present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee – Exod 34:2-3 The morning watch is essential. You must not face the day until you have faced God, nor look into the face of others until you have looked into His. You cannot expect to be victorious, if the day begins only in your own strength. Face the work of every day with the influence of a few thoughtful, quiet moments with your heart and God. Do not meet other people, even those of your own home, until you have first met the great Guest and honored Companion of your life—Jesus Christ. Meet Him alone. Meet Him regularly. Meet Him with His open Book of counsel before you; and face the regular and the irregular duties of each day with the influence of His personality definitely controlling your every act. Begin the day with God! He is thy Sun and Day! His is the radiance of thy dawn; To Him address thy lay. Sing a new song at morn! Join the glad woods and hills; Join the fresh winds and seas and plains, Join the bright flowers and rills. Sing thy first song to God! Not to thy fellow men; Not to the creatures of His hand, But to the glorious One. Take thy first walk with God! Let Him go forth with thee; By stream, or sea, or mountain path, Seek still His company. Thy first transaction be With God Himself above; So shall thy business prosper well, And all the day be love. —Horatius Bonar The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early upon their knees. Matthew Henry used to be in his study at four, and remain there till eight; then, after breakfast and family prayer, he used to be there again till noon; after dinner, he resumed his book or pen till four, and spent the rest of the day in visiting his friends. Doddridge himself alludes to his “Family Expositor” as an example of the difference of rising between five and seven, which, in forty years, is nearly equivalent to ten years more of life. Dr. Adam Clark’s “Commentary” was chiefly prepared very early in the morning. Barnes’ popular and useful “Commentary” has been also the fruit of “early morning hours.” Simeon’s “Sketches” were chiefly worked out between four and eight.

Keep Trusting We trusted – Luke 24:21 I have always felt so sorry that in that walk to Emmaus the disciples had not said to Jesus, “We still trust”; instead of “We trusted.” That is so sad—something that is all over. If they had only said, “Everything is against our hope; it looks as if our trust was vain, but we do not give up; we believe we shall see Him again.” But no, they walked by His side declaring their lost faith, and He had to say to them “O fools, and slow of heart to believe!” Are we not in the same danger of having these words said to us? We can afford to lose anything and everything if we do not lose our faith in the God of truth and love. Let us never put our faith, as these disciples did, in a past tense—“We trusted.” But let us ever say, “I am trusting.” —Crumbs The soft, sweet summer was warm and glowing, Bright were the blossoms on every bough: I trusted Him when the roses were blooming; I trust Him now… Small were my faith should it weakly falter Now that the roses have ceased to blow; Frail were the trust that now should alter, Doubting His love when storm clouds grow. —The Song of a Bird in a Winter Storm

Meet Him in the Morning Be ready in the morning, and come up ...present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee – Exod 34:2-3 The morning watch is essential. You must not face the day until you have faced God, nor look into the face of others until you have looked into His. You cannot expect to be victorious, if the day begins only in your own strength. Face the work of every day with the influence of a few thoughtful, quiet moments with your heart and God. Do not meet other people, even those of your own home, until you have first met the great Guest and honored Companion of your life—Jesus Christ. Meet Him alone. Meet Him regularly. Meet Him with His open Book of counsel before you; and face the regular and the irregular duties of each day with the influence of His personality definitely controlling your every act. Begin the day with God! He is thy Sun and Day! His is the radiance of thy dawn; To Him address thy lay. Sing a new song at morn! Join the glad woods and hills; Join the fresh winds and seas and plains, Join the bright flowers and rills. Sing thy first song to God! Not to thy fellow men; Not to the creatures of His hand, But to the glorious One. Take thy first walk with God! Let Him go forth with thee; By stream, or sea, or mountain path, Seek still His company. Thy first transaction be With God Himself above; So shall thy business prosper well, And all the day be love. —Horatius Bonar The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early upon their knees. Matthew Henry used to be in his study at four, and remain there till eight; then, after breakfast and family prayer, he used to be there again till noon; after dinner, he resumed his book or pen till four, and spent the rest of the day in visiting his friends. Doddridge himself alludes to his “Family Expositor” as an example of the difference of rising between five and seven, which, in forty years, is nearly equivalent to ten years more of life. Dr. Adam Clark’s “Commentary” was chiefly prepared very early in the morning. Barnes’ popular and useful “Commentary” has been also the fruit of “early morning hours.” Simeon’s “Sketches” were chiefly worked out between four and eight.