Word Precedes Works

UV 1468/10,000 Word Precedes Works
LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us
Isaiah 26 v 12

The Lord has ordained or ordered, organized and arranged peace for us. Many of us are not joyful and peaceful most of the time as we are “blessing-blind”. The true story of Fanny Crosby known as the Hymn Queen of America who wrote 10,000 touching and beautiful hymns not despite the fact that she was blind but because she was blind since childhood. Her physical blindness enabled her to always spiritually perceive the many blessings of peace, grace and mercy she received from the Lord. She thanked God for her blindness and said that she would not exchange it for sight. Her words echo into eternity.

Normally, words follow works but in the case of the Word, it precedes and supercedes works. The works of the Lord fulfil the Word. The Lord reveals that health is our precious blessing that should cause us to rejoice. Without health we cannot enjoy other blessings. On the foundation of health, He builds us up. He gives us a multi-coloured coat like Jacob gave his favoured son Joseph, a metaphor for the varied experiences, abilities, challenges we face in our lives that shape and prepare us for eternity. The Lord has a purpose and a plan for everyone and everything in our lives. People who do not have the gift or grace of faith cannot find rhyme nor reason in neither their personal history or world history. They are like driftwood that is driven now in this direction by their whims and desires and later in that direction by their moods and reactions. They do not enjoy mental, emotional or spiritual stability or peace.

The Lord has done great things in our lives and He has prepared to do great things in our lives, such things that eye has not seen nor ear heard nor entered our imagination. I never imagined I would survive in a devastating human bomb assassination, that I would stand before a Queen to be honoured, that I would see and experience many of the things I have seen and experienced hitherto. Like Fanny Crosby, I thank the Lord for the “wonderful terrible” experiences that drove home the reality of God’s peace and grace to me. Like Mary praised the Lord God, I can say, “He has done mighty things in my life.” He has filled my mouth with good things- extraordinary testimonies of His ways. I can testify that He is faithful and trustworthy. It is better to rely on Him and His promises than the support or patronage of the earth’s rulers.

Prateep V Philip