Preservings $20 No. 25, December, 2005 - Plett Foundation

egun. Rekindle the small spark until the finished
race when all the chosen ones are One, and I
reach the goal of my faith. Amen!
Dearly beloved brothers and sisters in the
Lord, I come before you today for the first time as
the one who should strengthen you in God’s word
and try to encourage you. But how sorrowful I
call out with the words of David in Psalm 109,
“but you, Lord, be with me for your name’s sake
because your grace is my comfort. Save me for I
am poor and miserable, my heart is broken within
me. Yes, stand by me, my Lord and God, and
help me according to your grace.” When I weigh
and consider the importance of this office, at the
same time recognize the ruined nature of my
flesh – how much it is inclined toward evil, how
contrary, how slow and sluggish to do good. I
find myself incapable, powerless and unqualified
for such an important and holy work. Yes, for the
service and office that was given to me by God
and His church, to be a watchman and laborer in
the vineyard of the Lord. With much ( ) sorrow,
I shall take this highly important position to lead
as a watchman. Yes, with serious thoughts in the
present and those I see in the future.
I can hardly shield you – knowing I now must
warn other souls; having so much concern for
myself because I know I am a very great sinner
- that I have often failed very badly! Wherefore,
I ask the dear brothers and sisters for forgiveness.
Beloved, I feel myself very young to be a shepherd
of the flock. O Lord, I feel too
young to preach. Yes, both in years and
understanding. I ask pleadingly that
you who understand, dear brothers and
sisters, come to help me, remember me
in your prayers so that the God of all
of us will grant grace and strength to
be acceptable to Him – help this poor
and weak one with untiring eagerness,
Godly wisdom and understanding in
order that I may fulfill this position
and service clothed in simplicity and
represented correctly.
It is very important, dear ones,
when we read in II Moses in chapter
three, how the Angel of the Lord
appeared to him in his time from a
fire in a bush. He saw that the bush
was burning, but was not consumed.
And Moses said, “I will go and see
this great sight why the bush is not
consumed.” But when the Lord saw
that I was going to see it, God called
out of the bush and said, “ Moses,
Moses, I replied “here am I.” He said
“Don’t draw near, take off your shoes
from your feet, for the ground you are
standing on is holy ground.” I may not
take this calling and occasion lightly,
but remove my sinful shoes and thus
enter the holy place which may well
be our gathering place – as sanctified
we may all appear there. O my loved
brethren and sisters, how badly I feel
that I am so ill prepared for the task,
for God’s sake and for myself – to
warn, awaken and challenge. I cannot
with my walk and words do it without
64 - Preservings No. 25, December 2005
the Lord’s help. For it is of greatest importance,
yet I will and can hope that the same God and
the same Lord who has place this call upon me,
will help and carry me. Therefore, I want to
become obedient even though I feel so unclean
and unworthy; I would gladly with an excuse
release myself, but since God’s word cannot
bring it about, there is no way out at hand. What
does it profit me by making excuses?
In searching the Holy Scripture, we can read
of holy men in times past who declared themselves
not ready, unworthy, yes too young and
what else? As Jonah’s follower seeking a way out
– a way to excuse themselves for disobedience.
His word says “you shall go where I send you
and preach what I will tell you.” Jeremiah 1:7. I
am a poor, weak man, yes, dust and ashes. Who
am I that I should withstand the Lord’s advice,
or try? But with David I call out, “O Lord be
merciful unto me according to your goodness
and cleanse me from my sins for I acknowledge
my offenses and my sin is always before me.
Against you alone have I sinned and done evil
before you. Cleanse me with hyssop that I will
become clean, wash me that I shall become white
as snow. Hide your face from my sin and cleanse
me from all my offenses. Create in me, O God, a
clean heart and give me a new spirit.” Psalm 51,
and in Psalm 38 he comes another time pleading
with words, “ Lord don’t punish me in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath, for your arrows
stick in me and your hand presses me, there is
nothing whole nor healthy in my body, because
of your indignation, and there is no peace in my
bones because of my sins, for my sins go over
my head, like a heavy burden they have become
too heavy for me.” Say with a poet, “Dear, loving
Jesus teach me with your Spirit to live rightly
– to come humbly and worthily before you with
genuine love; long for, really sigh from the heart
and hope in you. It must be an earnest plea, such
as presses through the clouds. You must not show
any hypocrisy to bring to this sacrifice; with a
truly penitent heart that feels the burden of sin
and pain - cannot find comfort - and seeks God
without ceasing. With angst and worry it has no
rest day and night. . . it is deeply ashamed because
it has saddened the one who loved you from the
beginning and redeemed you with His blood.
When one seeks from the heart, earnestly seeks
the Lord, then comes the evil, wicked foe. Cruel
through his many thousand tricks, he scares the
souls at this time and wounds them severely.
This the Lord allows when He wants to train
His child to see if he will in battle heartily love
the Father. The Father presents Himself as if He
cannot help and has cast him away. The soul
suffers great pain that no tongue can express.
The soul seems to be forsaken by God; it must
battle with Satan. The sorrow endures until God
refreshes the soul so that she will remain true to
Him. O Holy God! Help me through it and be gracious
to me. There is so much angst,
grief and worry to travel the heavenly
way. O dear Father! Refresh me and
don’t let my anxious soul languish.
So pleads the soul’s voice to God for
His grace – she complains and complains
to Him, begging for comfort on
this journey. Then the Father’s heart
breaks because of the child’s fear and
pain. He cannot contain Himself – He
comes to dwell in the soul; is gratified.
He takes the oppression, and lights it
with love which no foe can extinguish
– no sorrow, no angst and pain. When
God dwells in the heart, no enemy can
singe the Spirit. It seeks to refract the
lust of the flesh. When God embraces
the soul, He carries the load, therefore
the yoke is not heavy.
So God brings us into rest.
Because He loves us, He frequently
strikes us heavily that He can delight
in us and comfort us. Those who are
pressed by the burden of the cross;
who have tasted the angst of Hell,
won’t regret it there [heaven]. Oh,
how important, beloved brothers and
sisters, is the assignment, and how responsible.
Yes, how very important is
the way which I, or also we, shepherds
and messengers of the gospel have,
not only with fear and trembling, to
work out our soul’s salvation, but the
Lord also makes us responsible for
the souls entrusted to us. Yes, how
earnestly the Lord speaks to His
servants through the prophet Ezekiel,
Chapter 33:7-8. “And now you son of
Aeltester Jacob F. Isaac, wife Maria, and sons Lee and Al. 1940. Photo: Merle
Loewen.