a well-trodden path

Daniel 2:20-22

"Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what [is] in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him."

Daniel's story amazes me. As a teenager, everything was taken from him- his family, home, and identity. He was given a name that wasn't his and commanded to conform to a foreign culture. It would appear God was being very harsh to him.

And yet, we see God was working, orchestrating each detail of his life the entire time. God was going to use Daniel to influence an entire nation. The plan was already set.

There is a well-trodden path before us which saints of the ages have already traversed. There are thorns, thistles, and bloody footprints. The path is narrow and at times steep, but it is well laid. And we closely walk in the shadow of the good Shepherd. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.

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"May the lamb receive the reward of his suffering."

THE TALE OF TWO MORAVIAN MISSIONARIES

"Two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies where an atheist British owner had 2000 to 3000 slaves. And the owner had said, "No preacher, no clergyman, will ever stay on this island. If he’s shipwrecked we’ll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave; but he’s never going to talk to any of us about God. I’m through with all that nonsense." Three thousand salves from the jungles of Africa brought to an island in the Atlantic and there to live and die without hearing of Christ.

Two young Moravians heard about it. They sold themselves to the British planter and used the money they received from their sale, for he paid no more than he would for any slave, to pay their passage out to his island for he wouldn’t even transport them. As the ship left it’s pier in the river at Hamburg and was going out into the North Sea, carried with the tide, the Moravians had come from Herrenhut to see these two lads off, in their early twenties. Never to return again, for this wasn’t a four year term; they sold themselves into life-time slavery.

Simply that as slaves, they could be a s Christians where these others were.The families were there weeping, for they knew they would never see them again. And they wondered why they were going and questioned the wisdom of it. As the gap widened and the housings had been cast off and were being curled up there on the pier, and the young boys saw the widening gap, one lad with his arm linked through the arm of his fellow, raised his hand and shouted across the gap the last words that were heard from them, they were these: "MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!" This became the call of Moravian missions. And this is the only reason for being, That the Lamb that was slain, may receive the reward of His suffering."