Oh what a happy soul I am, Although I cannot see. I am resolved that in this world, Contented I will be. Born in Putnam County, New York, a sweet baby girl would become ill within 2 months of her birth. Due to the fact that their family physician was called out of town, she was taken to another doctor who was not a certified physician, merely pretending to be. The treatment he would prescribe was a hot mustard poultice to be applied to her eyes. As a result, young Fanny Crosby would suffer permanent blindness. The crisis came in her life at such a tender age, but her future devotion to Scripture, the influence of a godly grandmother, her contented spirit, her deep love for poetry, and the grace of God would combine to create one of the most prolific hymn writers in history. Despite her personal crisis, she would pen over 8,000 hymns during her lifetime. The mistake on the doctor’s part was not a mistake on God’s part.
Centuries prior to Miss Crosby’s struggles, a young teenage boy would face an unspeakable crisis of his own. His seemingly mundane life in Jerusalem would give way to an overnight tragedy, as he, and other young men “in whom there was no blemish, but well-favoured, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding” were torn from their homes, whisked away to Babylon to begin a three-year training program in Babylonian studies. Basically a prisoner of war, young Daniel was faced with a barrage of critical choices: Do I change my diet to include foods deemed “unclean?” Do I accept my new name, Belteshazzar, meaning Baal’s prince? Do I take the credit for interpreting the king’s dreams or reflect the glory back to God? Do I bow to an idol of gold? Do I alter my prayer life to preserve my physical life? How would this transplanted teenager respond to these difficult challenges? Young Daniel “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.” He would do right, even at the cost of his life. As a result, Daniel’s influence and reputation would grow until all around him recognized his integrity and wisdom.
I read an interesting quote today: Life has been described as a series of crisis cleverly connected by the mundane of the every day. Miss Crosby would take her crisis and pen some of the most moving and popular hymns Christianity would know, leaving a legacy of comfort and encouragement to those of us who would follow her. Daniel stood firm in his crisis and was used of God to pen one of the most breathtaking books of prophecy in the Word of God. What can God do with YOUR crisis? Will you dare to be a Daniel and use that crisis to turn the world upside down for the cause of Christ? Only God knows how He can use your crisis for His glory.
II Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Lord, I don’t understand Your workings in the affairs of man, but I am in awe of how You can take our most desperate situations and turn them into good for us and those around us.