There lived in a certain village an aged disciple, in what men would call very poor circumstances. She had, as we say, no visible source of supply; but she depended upon the living God to meet her daily need; and no one who does so can ever be said to be in poor circumstances.
Well, it so happened, on one occasion, that our poor old friend was called to meet a trial of her faith—for God does try the faith which He implants in the soul, in order that the trial, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, may be found to praise and honor and glory. In this way and for this end, our aged pilgrim was tried, for she found herself, one morning, without a morsel of food, or a spark of fire. She was sitting in front of the empty grate, still waiting on her Father who was faithfully watching over her to meet her need, in His own marvelous way. Suddenly she was arrested by the strange sight of a loaf of bread let down by a cord through the chimney. She lifted up her heart in praise to the Giver of all good, took the loaf and made a hearty breakfast. The same God who fed Elijah by means of the ravens, now fed His dear child by means no less strange.
In the course of the day a wicked boy, who was in the habit of mocking and teasing the dear old saint, came into her cabin, and in a jeering tone said, “Well granny, has the Lord sent you anything today?” “Yes,” said she, “bless His name! He sent me a loaf of bread, this morning, when I had not a morsel of food in the house.” “Ha!” said the boy, with a diabolical laugh, “It was not the Lord, at all; it was I who let it down through the chimney.” “Indeed,” said our poor old friend, “I do not care if it was the devil himself who did it, I know it was the Lord who sent the loaf to me.”
And she was right. The devil was outwitted, inasmuch as the very wicked boy whom he had sent to mock a saint of God in a moment of pressure, was used of God to meet her need. Our Lord Christ is at the very highest place of power, and He is head over all things to His church. Earth and hell, men and devils are all under His control, and He can use them for His own glory and His people’s good. All we have to do is to trust Him, and go right on. He can never fail a trusting heart—never—no, never.
Another dear child of God we once heard of who was reduced to great straits. She had no food in the house and no money to buy it. Someone called and told her there was a hamper directed to her at the railway office. She immediately went to inquire about it; but, to her dismay, she was told there was a shilling to pay on it. The poor thing left the office in deep distress. There was the supply, as it were, within arm’s length of her, but an insuperable barrier between her and it. The tears rolled down her pale cheeks and fell on the pavement. She cast her weeping eyes down and there, to her amazement, she beheld half-a-sovereign lying at her feet. With a thankful worshipping heart she lifted the coin, returned to the office and paid for the hamper in which she found a full supply.
We received the foregoing touching narrative from the brother of the poor woman, so that we can vouch for its truth, and we record it for the purpose of encouraging the Lord’s poor to trust Him, at all times, and under all circumstances. “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for thy expectation is from Him.”