Saturday, August 25, 2007

Faithful in life...


My first post with the pals!!! I hope you'll forgive me for sharing an excerpt from a book entitled "The Psalms in History and Biography" by Rev. John Ker D.D. written in 1886. This treasury is full of biographical sketches and a Psalm that they pertain to, going from the beginning of Psalms to the end. Be encouraged...

'My sins and faults of youth
Do thou, O Lord, forget:
After thy mercy think on me,
And for thy goodness great.'

Touching words in themselves, and surely never more so than when they began the dying-song of Margaret Wilson, while the sea was rising round her at the mouth of the water of Blednoch, by Wigtown. She was twenty years of age, blameless and gentle, but had been in the habit of attending field and house conventicles (worship place, gathering - in case you were wondering, like I was, what a conventicle is...), and refused to take the test. For these things she was condemned to be drowned along with an elderly woman, named Margaret Lachlan, accused of the same offences. The two were tied to stakes within the tide-mark, where the waters of the Solway come up swift and strong into the channel of Blednoch. The older woman was placed farther from the bank, that the sight of her struggles might terrify the younger, and cause her to give way. But she was faithful to the death.

'O do thou keep my soul,
Do thou deliver me:
And let me never be asham'd,
Because I trust in thee.'

Desperate efforts were made to cast discredit on the narrative in Napier's Life of Claverhouse, but the question has been set at rest by the book of Dr. Stewart of Glasserton, The Wigtown Martyrs. The two women are buried above the place where they were drowned, and descendants of the family to which Margaret Wilson belogned are to be found near Glenvernock, on the water of Cree, where she lived."


This particular excerpt was included with Psalm 25 in the book.

One comment I (Lisa) will make is that Dr. Ker noted that Margaret (at 20!) was faithful to death. We are not persecuted to this point, yet! - however, I pray that I would be faithful in life. In the shadow of these beautiful Christian Martyrs, I find myself ashamed of my own hesitancy and pride. May God show me a bigger view of Him, and a smaller view of myself.


7 comments:

David Warren Fisher said...

Thanks, Lisa! Welcome! I'm rushing off to work but I'll digest your post more fully later.

Have a wonderful Lord's day in His house!

Grateful to God for our most recent PILGRIM PAL!

David

Anonymous said...

GOOD STUFF LISA J !

I have found the old time writers to be or have such a depth to them -- plus the old time saints --Christianity that offends the devil and pleases God is one of utter abandonment from this world and to the Kingdom of God -- John Bunyan could have been let out of prison if he agreed to stop preaching , he had his dear wife always on his mind but he could only follow his Lord --- GOOD POST LISA J - THANKS

Julie (Little Missionary) said...

Thanks Lisa and WELCOME to the Pals!

Bless you.

Julie (LM)

Vicki said...

Thank you, Lisa. Something wonderful to ponder, though I shudder to think of their plight. May the Lord giveth more grace to each one of us, that we would be faithful as He lives His life through us. Life to the uttermost!

Welcome to you, Lisa, and many blessings! I'm a newbie myself here.

Terry said...

Dear Lisa..This wonderful post reminds me of a Sunday School song that we sing.

Unto thee, O Lord,do I lift up my soul!
Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul!

O my God,
I trust in Thee
Let me not be ashamed,let not my
Enemies triumph over me!

Verse 2:
Yea let none that wait on Thee be ashamed
Yea let none that wait on Thee be ashamed.
O my God, I trust in Thee
Let me not be ashamed, let not my
Enemies triumph over me!

Verse 3:
Show me Thy ways, Thy ways, O Lord
Teach me Thy paths, Thy paths, O Lord
O my God, I trust in Thee
Let me not be ashamed, let not my
Enemies triumph over me!

Verse 4:
Remember not the sins of my youth
Remember not the sins of my youth
O my God, I trust in Thee
Let me not be ashamed, let not my
Enemies triumph over me!

Everytime they sing the fourth verse my heart just fills with joy!

Your first post is a real winner Lisa!...Love Terry

Pilot Mom said...

Welcome, Lisa!! A great post to ponder and "digest" as David (the Doc) says!

Thank you for sharing with us. Your comment about being faithful in life is such a thought provoking one. I truly believe that most of here at Pals would be faithful in death because of Who we are going to...but it is so easy to be fall in our daily living of life. My desire is the same as yours...to faithful in every action and thought. That is why it is so important to take every thought captive. That ol' will of ours can be swayed so easily away from what God desires.

passing-thru said...

Yes Good stuff Lisa J as I said earlier --- I like what Pilot Mom Claire said about "taking every thought captive" to the Will of God -- and having no confidence in the flesh ---
The day is coming when Christians will be tested --- we have the world system , the mark , anti-christ, beast - all looming on the horizon --- I AM GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR HIS GRACE, HIS PROMISES, HIS FAITHFULNESS to us -- good group of Christians here