Another Surprising Work of God

Some things seem to good to be true. When we hear someone speaking of an event in their past we often hear with cynical ears their story thinking they are romanticizing the truth or painting a picture that is unrealistic. This is a plague of our age. We cannot believe what is given us from the past. We must be skeptical and distrusting of the story teller. Therefore when I read Jonathan Edwards, "A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God", among the people and the church of Northampton it seems to good to be true. Read for yourself,

"There was scarcely a single person in the town, old or young, left unconcerned about the great things of the eternal world. Those who were wont to be the vainest and loosest, and those who had been disposed to think and speak lightly of vital and experimental religion, were now generally subject to great awakenings. And the work of conversion was carried on in a most astonishing manner, and increased more and more; souls did as it were come by flocks to Jesus Christ. From day to day for many months together, might be seen evident instances of sinners brought out of darkness into marvellous light, and delivered out of an horrible pit, and from the miry clay, and set upon a rock, with a new song of praise to God in their mouths.

This work of God, as it was carried on, and the number of true saints multiplied, soon made a glorious alteration in the town: so that in the spring and summer following, anno 1735, the town seemed to be full of the presence of God: it never was so full of love, nor of joy, and yet so full of distress, as it was then. There were remarkable tokens of God's presence in almost every house. It was a time of joy in families on account of salvation being brought to them; parents rejoicing over their children as new born, and husbands over their wives, and wives over their husbands. The doings of God were then seen in His sanctuary, God's day was a delight, and His tabernacles were amiable. Our public assemblies were then beautiful: the congregation was alive in God's service, every one earnestly intent on the public worship, every hearer eager to drink in the words of the minister as they came from his mouth; the assembly in general were, from time to time, in tears while the word was preached; some weeping with sorrow and distress, others with joy and love, others with pity and concern for the souls of their neighbors."

Is it to good to be true? I believe this is why the narrative is entitled "A Surprising Work of God". In our unbelief we do not think that God can do something like this among us, and we only look to the work we can do which is nothing. But the work of God among these people brought about conversions that lead to worship, fellowship and work that was glorifying to God and only explainable by the work of God. This is what God does when he rends the heavens and comes down.

The church must be faithful to her Lord each day while she longs for him to do a work like this among her and in the cities where she is planted. God came in this surprising way among his church while they faithfully worshiped in and around his Word. They sang the Psalms, read the Word in worship, preached long God centered sermons from God's Word and prayed. They did not devise a way for his coming, that would not be surprising but calculated. But they were faithful in seeking to be pleasing to the Lord and not man in their worship and work in accordance with his will. May we be found faithful and longing for his glory to be revealed in his coming upon his church through a surprising work. What you see here in the past is true and is good. Let us pray for it in the present.