FAY ROWE

In 1949 a man named Stuart Hamlin was born again at a Billy Graham Crusade in Los Angeles. Shortly after, he wrote and sang the beautiful song "It is no Secret" which became famous in short order.

The beginning line of the song went like this, "It is no secret what God can do; what he's done for others, he'll do for you."  I love the hope given in that song! Some may have thought it was presumptive of Mr Hamlin to sing those words in front of thousands at Billy Graham's crusades, because, after all, we look around us and see inequities that could suggest his words aren't true.

But, as I wrote in Keepers of the Testimony, God gave instructions to the Israelite leaders that they should tell of his strength and his works, his stories, to every new generation, so they would hope in him. Those stories were to be treasured, like a valuable heirloom. They carried in them the power of hope.

I just finished, for the second time, Billy Graham's autobiography Just as I Am.  It was published about 15 years ago when he was 75. It took me quite a while to read it; his first 75 years were very full years! Every night, as I'd put the book down on the nightstand by my bed, I would take a deep breath, in awe of the consistency of the many, many stories of the faithfulness of God. Big stories and little stories. Huge events and small. In all of them, Dr. Graham's part was to remain faithful to his calling and to pray and look to God for his strength and wisdom and favour. And they came, all of them.

How sad for me, for all of us, if those stories were not meant to bring us hope,as if God's faithfulness was only for Billy Graham! But no, like Jacob's stories of God's goodness, Billy Graham's, and yours and mine, are to be told so that we will receive from them something wonderful and needful.

Psalm 19:7 tells us the testimony of the Lord is sure (steadfast, faithful), making wise the simple. That tells me there is hope and prophecy in the testimonies of God's goodness, and when we seek and find them, we will be made wise.

Wise enough to deal with whatever situations we are facing, placing our hope firmly in God, and fixing our faith in the sure-ness of his words.