Lord’s Day, Vol. 5 No. 06

Showers of Blessing

– In Prisoner-of-War Hospital

When Major Daniel Whittle left home to join the Northern Army in the American Civil War, his mother placed a New Testament in his kit. It remained there, unread. At the battle of Vicksburg the major lost his right arm and was taken prisoner by the Southern Army.

While recovering in the hospital, looking for something to read, he found the New Testament. He read it daily and was reminded of the faith he had been taught early in life but had forsaken. Still, his heart was not moved to accept Christ.

One night, Whittle was awakened by an orderly who said that a dying man in another room needed someone to come and pray for him. The major protested that he did not know how to prayer or be of help. The startled orderly said, “But I thought you were a Christian; I have seen you reading the Bible.”

Whittle finally consented to go with the orderly. The dying young man, seeing Whittle at his bedside, pleaded, “Pray for me. I was once on the right path when at home, but have strayed since I joined the Army. Now I am dying and I am not ready. Pray for me and ask God to forgive me.”

Major Whittle later recorded his experience: “I dropped on my knees and held the boy’s hand in mine. In a few broken words I confessed my sins and asked Christ to forgive me. I believed right there that He did forgive me. I then prayed earnestly for the boy. He became quiet and pressed my hand as I prayed and pleaded God’s promises. When I arose from my knees, he was dead. A look of peace had come over his troubled face, and I cannot but believe that God who used him to bring me to the Saviour, used me to lead him to trust Christ’s precious blood and find pardon. I hope to meet him in heaven.”

But for that little New Testament placed in a son’s kit by a loving and praying mother, we might never have had the inspiring hymns “Showers of Blessing”, “Moment by Moment”, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” and others.

From the barrenness and spiritual drought of his own life, in his dark night of the soul in that prisoner-of-war hospital, Major Daniel W. Whittle found, not drops of mercy by showers of blessing, which led to a fruitful life for God.

 

There shall be showers of blessing,

            This is the promise of life;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

            Sent from the Saviour above.

 

            Showers of blessing,

            Showers of blessing we need;

            Mercy drop around us are falling,

            But for the showers we plead.

 

There shall be showers of blessing,

            Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys

            Sound of abundance of rain.

 

There shall be showers of blessing,

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing;

            Come and now honour Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing,

            O that today they night fall,

Now as to God we are confessing,

            Now as on Jesus we call!

 

Is your life spiritually dry? Has life become barren, unproductive, in need of reviving, refreshing? If we seek God with all our heart, He will answer of prayer, open the windows of heaven, and send His showers of blessing upon us.

Let us claim for ourselves God’s promise: “There shall be showers of blessing” (Ezekiel 34:26).

 

[Extracted and edited from Songs in the Night by Henry Gariep]

 

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee