THE ways of God in bringing to pass His purposes of blessing are truly wonderful. He has marvelous ways of reaching souls; and while at times He uses great things to bring about an awakening, such as He did at Philippi, as recorded in Acts 16, it is often small and insignificant things He uses to bring to pass almighty results in the souls of men. “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and the things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor. 1:29). Whoever would think of such a despised thing as a fly being used to unstop the ears of a man in order that the truth of the Gospel might reach his heart? Yet this is what happened to a man, who being fond of music had gone to a Gospel meeting just to hear the singing, intending not to listen to a word the preacher said, and in order to prevent his voice reaching him he put his fingers in his ears. But God had His eye upon him and used one of His tiny creatures to frustrate his purpose. Suddenly a fly alighted on his nose, and unthinkingly he withdrew one of his fingers from his ear in order to brush it away; then just at that moment the speaker shouted, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear:” This instantly arrested the man, so that he no longer sought to hinder the message reaching him, but with ears opened, and a conscience awakened by the Spirit of God, the man listened to the blessed message of God’s love and grace, and believing it, rejoiced in His salvation.
Unsaved reader, beware how you treat the precious Gospel; it was to the same people to whom the invitation was given through Isaiah the prophet (see Isa. 4:1-3): “Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear and your soul shall live,” that he was sent with this awfully solemn message― “Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and they will hear it” (Acts 28:26-28). God grant you may be among those of whom it was said, “THEY WILL HEAR IT.” E. E. N.