March 15, 2011

  • Hewitson: "Some desperate unbelief there must be in the churches"

    Last month I posted Why should You be like a stranger? May our hearts burn with us! – a prayer based on Jeremiah 14:7-9. My reading of M'Cheyne's sermon "Why Is God a Stranger in the Land" had prompted that post.

    In rereading The Memoir of William Hepburn Hewitson (1812-1850) by John Baillie I once again came across a reference to that same Jeremiah passage.

    Given the widespread and prevailing state of lethargy and lukewarmness in much of the Church today, given we are in time of trouble, here is the question we must continue to ask, the question and request which we must take with boldness and importunity to the throne of God day and night:

    O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? – Jeremiah 14:8, KJV

    From the Memoir:

    Amidst the "dearth" which, in his day, had overtaken the professing Church, the prophet Jeremiah uttered this cry:—"O the Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?" And the answer was:—"Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet; therefore the Lord doth not accept them." Surrounded in Madeira by the manifestations of the Lord's presence, Mr Hewitson began to inquire, with a growing concern, why at home that presence was so little known. "I hear," says he in the sequel of the letter just quoted," that Jedburgh and some of the surrounding parishes have been refreshed recently with a shower of blessing from the Lord. Have any of the rain-drops fallen on your waste places? Some desperate unbelief there must be in the churches, which so clogs and locks the wheels of Immanuel's chariot. The Word of God is what it was in apostolic and in Reformation days—the Spirit of the Lord is not straitened —the love of the Father is not waxed cold—the bowels of Christ still yearn over lost souls; but, oh ! the curse of Nazareth seems to be upon the churches—'The Lord could not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.' Unbelief in God's children keeps sinners asleep."

    Mr Hewitson had himself learned not to "limit the Holy One of Israel." In a letter of this period, addressed to Mr Dickson, how vividly he stands out before us the man of prayer and of expecting faith ! He writes:—

    TO WILLIAM DICKSON, ESQ.

    "Madeira, June 5, 1845." My Very Dear Friend,

    "You are the only one of my Edinburgh correspondents to whom I stand at present indebted; and I gladly take an opportunity which is now afforded me of balancing accounts, and throwing you again off the side of creditor. Have not we many prayers in heaven, of which we have not as yet received a full acknowledgment ? God will surely yet acknowledge them fully, and grant us according to and beyond the desires of our hearts. Though sovereign and free in all that He does for us and gives to us, yet He has, and that likewise in the sovereign, free exercise of His grace, put Himself, by a thousand promises, as it were, into the position of a debtor, on whom we may prefer boldly our claims in Christ, as if we were creditors of the Lord. His promissory notes—His magnificent issues of heaven's papercurrency, representing the unsearchable riches of Christ, the untold bullion of heaven—these coming to us, each with an 'I will give payment on demand to whosoever will,' are sure to be, at length if not instantly, honoured and redeemed. Earthly capitalists can soon run themselves into liabilities which they have not assets enough to liquidate; but what God has promised, He is able also to perform.' 'If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.'

    * * *

    May it not be said of us:

    And He did not many mighty works there because of our unbelief.

    May we not clog and lock the wheels of Immanuel's chariot!

    Lord, we believe, help Thou our unbelief!

    If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth!

    O, Holy One of Israel, may we learn not to limit You!

     May we be fully persuaded that, what You have promised, You are able also to perform.

    *Please add your prayers as His Holy Spirit leads you.*

Comments (1)

  • Lord of Heaven, This message does challenge us to back up our faith. How often we have asked for things You are pleased and able to deliver, but then never acknowledged that You had - or even checked to see by what manner You have answered our prayers. Forgive us (me) for that affront to your sovereign goodness. You alone can satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. So it is at those times that we tend to turn to You for answers and to find rest for our souls. Your promptings spoken in the Word to be thankful are surely appropriate. Not only do You satisfy, but Your life in us multiplies life for us in unimaginable, indescribable ways. Thank You, my Father, for Your divine forbearance toward us Your children.Amen

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The phrase tent of meeting comes from Exodus 33:7: Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.

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