John Henry Jowett
John Henry Jowett
One of my favorite books purchased at one of the infamous Bethel Seminary book sales is The Silver Lining by John Henry Jowett. One scholar has said that any book you can find by Jowett is a treasure. John Henry Jowett was born in Halifax, England in 1864. He grew up in a Christian home and was trained in Edinburgh and Oxford. He was a renowned pastor and writer in his day and lived during the time of G. Campbell Morgan. In fact, Jowett assumed the pastorate of Westminster Chapel in London after Morgan in 1917. Jowett’s many books include The Silver Lining, The Passion For Souls, School of Calvary, Thirsting For Springs, The Best of John Henry Jowett, Brooks By The Traveller’s Way, Epistles of St. Peter, and Things That Matter Most.
Favorites From The Silver Lining
Devotion from Exodus 33:14 “My Presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Our text entwines the gracious offer of a Companion for the unknown and unchanging road. There is the loneliness of unshared sorrow. Is there anything more solitary than sorrow that can find no friendly ear?…The story can be whispered into the ear of the Highest. The Companion is from above…There is the loneliness of unshared triumph…I sometimes think that lonely triumph is as desolate as unshared grief. ..If you will turn to the book of the Psalms you will find how continually the ringing paeans sound from hearts that are just bursting with the desire to share their joy and triumph with the Lord. They are the communigs of victory, the gladsome fellowship of radiant souls and their God, His Presence shall go with us, and He will destroy the loneliness of unshared joy.
And there is the loneliness of temptation. Our friends can accompany us so far along the troubled way, and by God’s good grace they can partially minister to our progress by re-arranging our environment, and removing many of the snares and pitfalls from our path But in this serious business of temptation it is little that friend can do for friend. The great battle is waged behind a door they cannot enter…In the secret place of every temptation no earthly friend can be near…but we need not be alone! One Presence can pass the door that leads to the secret place. “My Presence shall go with thee,” not as an interested or applauding spectator, but as Fellow-worker, Fellow-fighter, Redeemer, and Friend. The loneliness of the wilderness is peopled by the ubiquitous presence of the Lord.
And there is the loneliness of death…If we and those whom we love passed over simultaneously, we should think no more of it than changing our houses from one place to another. But every voyager goes alone. Alone! Nay, there is a Fellow-voyager! “My Presence shall go with thee.” The last, chill loneliness is warmed by the Resurrection Life. There is a winsome light in the valleys, as of the dawning of grander days…Now if we only firmly believed this, and clearly realized this gracious Presence, what would be the ministry? Well, we should work without worry. We should step out without dread. We should waste no energy in fruitless fear and sapping care. We should face the unknown not daunted by our ignorance. The great Companion may still think it good to deny us the light of comprehension: but then, though we may not comprehend the nature of the entire way, He will see to it that we have light at the next turning of the road.
And do not let us be afraid of our weakness. You feel about as little like carrying the possible load of the new day as a grasshopper! Never mind! Perhaps that is how we ought to feel…Do not let us try to carry our God and our burdens too…The real combatants are not our weakness versus the burdens and difficulties of the day, but all these things versus our Almighty Friend! “My Presence shall go with thee,” and thou shalt lack neither light nor might; “as thy day so shall thy strength be,” and “at eventide it shall be light.”
But we must lean upon Him and allow Him to carry our load. “Lay your burden down!” The Lord will carry both it and you! “I will give thee rest”" not by the absence of warfare, but by the happy assurance of victory: not by the absence of the hill, but by the absence of the spirit of fainting. “I will give thee rest.”
(pages 60-68 The Silver Lining by John Henry Jowett)
