Encouragement

BLESSED ASSURANCE

by Morris Inch
05/12/17
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BLESSED ASSURANCE

My sisters were more actively engaged in church than my brother and I. However, when nearing their demise, both expressed some uncertainty. Fortunately, my niece had taken it upon herself to minister to them at this critical juncture, and as a result, their assurance greatly increased.

By way of contrast, I was always impressed with the joyous attitude of one of our church members. While eventually I learned that she had experienced some very difficult times. Instead of shaking her confidence, she seemed to conclude in term of the hymn lyrics that "the God on the mountain is the God in the valley."

The time came when she was critically ill, and fell into a deep comma. Family members were alerted, and they gathered to be present at her demise. Then unexpectedly she regained consciousness. Looking around the room and seeing members of her extended family, she gathered from this that she was about to pass on. Whereupon, she asked that those present in her home come to her bedside. Upon their arrival, she assured them that she was prepared to go where Jesus is. However, she was concerned about some of them, who lacked her assurance. Having delivered her message, she slipped back into the comma, and soon experienced death. Subsequently, her husband recalled her appeal as the most impressive sermon he had ever heard.

The apostle Paul seems no less assured when he allows: "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day" (2 Tim. 1:12). The focus is on who rather than what, although the latter is implicated.

Granted, conversion experiences are not monolithic. I was serving in the military during World War II. After a chapel service, I approached the chaplain to inquire further into the message he had delivered. He took me to his office, where he attempted to explain the gospel to me. My comprehension was very limited. However, one thing especially caught my attention. Jesus said, "whoever comes to me, I will never drive away" (John 6:37). At which, I reasoned: "If you can’t believe Jesus, who can you believe?’ Whereupon, I decided to follow Jesus. That was virtually a life time ago, and I have not regretted my decision—nor do I question his faithfulness.

Now conversion for some persons is a high emotional experience, but not for me. It was not until I laid down on my bunk that evening that I experienced the awesome peace of God. While I recognized that my circumstances would remain much the same, I would relish God’s presence in my life. With the major piece in place, other things would begin to take shape.

Some years later, there was a youthful woman who struggled with the lack of assurance. Then one evening at a Bible study, she seemed assured. Those assembled rejoiced with her. As did I, when word reached me.

However, the next morning I received a telephone call from her. It seemed that her sense of assurance was fleeting. The situation had turned from bad to worse. She was desperate, and I was frustrated. Consequently, I blurted out: "Forget it! Follow Jesus!" As it turned out, she took my ill-conceived response at face value. When she followed Jesus, assurance soon joined her.

Fanny Crosby wrote more than eight thousand hymns. Under contract to a music publisher, she wrote three new hymns each week during her adult life. The fact that she was blind did not seem to diminish her productivity, but actually enhance it. Thus involved, she wrote:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God.

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

As if assurance born of adversity or enhanced by it.