Weekly Reading: Chapters 24-25

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Hello again, Rainey here! I’m excited to unpack another chapter of Tip Lewis and His Lamp.

We’re almost to the end of our journey with Tip Lewis, now known as Edward, and it has been quite the journey!

Surrounded by a true Christian family and under the influence of the godly Ray Minturn, Edward has grown exponentially in his new environment.

“Well, could a boy help getting on who was so carefully and kindly led?”

Yet, just when he is just starting to get comfortable, Edward’s faith must be tried once again. A mysterious letter appears, scrawled with that forgotten name he used to bear: Tip. Who could it be from? The faulty spelling and pitiful penmanship expose the author:

“Deer Tip,—Mothers dead, I feel bad you kno that, so what’s the use? I’ve got to go to work….Can’t I com out of there to your store and work, I’ll behave myself reel wel; I will, honor bright, if you’ll git me a place…Rite to me rite off that’s a good fellow. I want to com awful, Bob Turner.”

Edward drops the letter on the floor. The idea of having Bob Turner at his store is perfectly dreadful! Edward has been doing just fine on his own, and Bob would ruin everything! Besides, Edward reasons within himself, Bob’s evil influence might drag him back into his old way of life. No, no, no—to bring in Bob Turner is out of the question!

Edward finds himself at a crossroads between two choices. In his heart of hearts he knows what he must do, and he knows it’s not going to be easy. It is in this moment that God begins to do a work in Edward’s spirit.

“How long had he been praying for Bob! Perhaps this was the way in which God meant to answer, by giving him opportunity to work as well as pray. Perhaps he ought to be willing to have him come. No matter how much the clerks might make fun of him for having such a friend; no matter how much pain and annoyance it might cause him; if this was God speaking to him to help his brother, how dreadful it would be to make no answer!”

Edward’s dilemma reminds me of 1 Thessalonians 5:24:

“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

God will make a way, but now Edward must be faithful to do it. But, praise God that:

“…it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

After a short struggle with himself and his own desires, Edward’s mind is made up, and in his usual straightforward style, he goes directly to Mr. Minturn with his proposition:

“And Edward went away glad, for he had begun to be very willing to have Bob there.”

The beauty of this chapter is not what Edward does, but what God does in his heart. Through constant prayer and a sensitivity to the nudge of the Holy Spirit, God has made Edward willing to do that which was initially against his will. And what were the results of his obedience? The gentle leading of one lost sinner’s soul to repentance. It is just like our God to take something perfectly dreadful and use it as an opportunity for great good. Such testimonies can only result in great praise!

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out” (Romans 11:33).

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,