I am the type of person whether watching a movie in my living room or being at a theater watching a play, I insert myself as if I were there taking part in the drama. I laugh out loud, I talk about the characters to my husband as if I had some influence over them, and I have no shame in crying real tears.
It was no different this morning as I read through this devotion twice, which was written by – Amy Carmichael; I ask you to take your time reading through it, and try to imagine yourself as the woman in the story.
‘But for a Moment‘
“AFTER THE WICKED KING LOUIS XLV OF FRANCE revoked the Edict of Nantes and condemned tens of thousands of the noblest men and women of France to torture and to death, many brave women were imprisoned in a huge tower called the Tour de Constance. The dungeon was a terrible place; its walls were 15 feet thick, and it was lighted only by narrow embrasures. The sister of a martyred minister lived for 36 years in that prison, and never gave way.
When at last the Huguenot women were released in 1768, someone found a word scored in the middle of the hard stone floor. The Inscription is hardly readable, and to see it on a fine summer day, one has to kneel down and have a candle lighted; otherwise it is too dark. That one word is Resist. It is thought that some woman carved it, perhaps with a needle (the tracing is so faint), toiling at that word to help and strengthen herself and others, so that after she was gone they might be encouraged in their resolve to endure till the end. Surely the powers of endurance that God can give to the human soul are beyond our understanding. These women had not even the comfort of their Bibles. They had nothing, nothing-but God. Can the God who so gloriously nourished them with heavenly strength not feed us also, in our lesser needs, as we wait day by day upon Him?
When we think of suffering, such as myriads have endured in all ages, in all lands, and of the suffering, too, that many are enduring today, our own little troubles and difficulties seem too small to think about at all, and we can only find relief in praying for those who suffer. And yet, though this is so, sometimes our trifles can try us a good deal, and those words, ‘And even this shall pass,’ may perhaps bring comfort to some among us. At longest it is ‘but for a moment,’ and then…?”
Wow! 36 years in darkness, it must have felt like eternity. I can’t even imagine how it is humanly possible to survive that. Newsflash, IT’S NOT! It’s only through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit that we will be able to endure under such great trials and pressure.
So be encouraged today brothers and sisters, we have the same Spirit as the woman who survived living in the dungeon, living in us. As we fellowship and abide in Him through prayer and His word, we too will have such great endurance.
Father, I am so thankful for Your word, we are so blessed to have the Bible as one of the ways we can communicate with You. Lord I ask that You would help us in those times when our faith is being tested, by giving us Your strength so we will not grow weary. And may we feel the light of Your presence no matter how strong the darkness may feel around us. In Jesus Name I pray.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”.
