“Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas” (Acts 16:6-8).

Dear reader! Have you carefully observed what is said here in this chapter about the Holy Spirit? How truly awful to read of his forbidding the Word to be preached in Asia! How strikingly solemn that when the servants of the Lord endeavored to go into Bithynia, the Spirit did not them allow them to do so. Brother or sister! Have you noticed these things? And can you notice such things without pausing to remark – with astonishment, wonder, love, and praise – that the Lord hath not long since forbidden it to be preached in our guilty land? O the gracious forbearance of our God to the present Christ-despising generation! Lord, let it never be said of our land, “I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.” Rather, mercifully grant to us that thy goodness and longsuffering may lead us to repentance!

– adapted from Robert Hawker (1753-1827)

Have you ever praised the Lord for the amazing mercy that we have in the fact that we still have the Gospel preached to us? We could all probably thank the Lord for this blessing a lot more often than we usually do.

God bless you and your family, this day and always.

All for the King’s glory,

Christian

photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash