Page 84 - Living Epistles

and for the first time he saw his little boy who had been born after his wife
had left him. She was willing to make her home with him again, if only he
would earn a living as other Christians did. His heart went out to his little
boy, and this test was even greater than the first. Her request seemed so
reasonable, but he knew that the Lord had called him from the world into
this life of faith. He pleaded with the Lord, but the only reply he received was
“Back to Egypt!”

It was enough, and once more Reuben embraced the cross. He went to see his
wife and child off; it was a costly experience; but as the train steamed out of
the station it seemed that God poured the joy of heaven into his soul. He
literally danced on the platform. He did not see his wife again for another
three years. Then, in another camp meeting, she too had a revelation of the
cross. As a result of this she testified that, whereas before as a believer she
had not been willing to share the sacrificial life of her husband, if it would be
for God’s glory she would now be willing to beg her bread from door to door.
They were reunited and she became a wonderful co-worker in his ministry.

One thing that had hindered Rees Howells from coming through before was
that while people said they were born again, he could not see that their lives
were better than his. How then could he be convinced that they had
something he had not? But he sometimes said to the Lord, “If I ever see a
person who is living the sermon on the mount, I will give in.” Before Reuben
came to the end of the story, the Lord said to Rees, “Is this your man?”

What followed in that little Methodist chapel Rees Howells tells in his own
words: “As Maurice Reuben brought those sacred scenes before us, I too saw
the cross. It seemed as if I spent ages at the Savior’s feet, and I wept and
wept. I felt as if He had just died for me. I lost myself. I had been living in the
fear of death, and I saw Him taking that death for me. My parents loved me
very much and, up to that time, to me there were no people like them, but
they never suffered death for me. He did it. His love for me, as compared
with theirs, was as high as the heavens above the earth, and He won my love
- every bit of it...”
[End Excerpt]

People of God, there are multitudes today who are professing their belief in
Christ as the Savior of mankind. There are few who are following in His
footsteps, taking up the cross that has been appointed for them. According to
Christ’s words, such confessors are not disciples, for to be a disciple one must