February 2 – New Beginings, part two.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” – Matthew 24:36.

Yesterday's blog looked at the enforced 'new beginings' which took place in Joseph's life – changes which took Joseph from slavery to governor of Egypt. Throughout his faith and dependence on the Lord never wavered.

In contrast, William Miller chose the 'new beginings' that formed his young adult years. Driven on by his belief that there had to be a good God, and that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent, he dedicated his life to research of Bible history in an effort to determine an exact date for that Event, and traveling extensively, urging all and sundry to prepare themselves to meet their Maker. .

“William Miller's mother was a woman of sterling piety, and in childhood, he had been subject to religious impressions. In early manhood, however, he was thrown into the society of deists, whose influence was the stronger from the fact that they were mostly good citizens and men of humane and benevolent disposition. Living, as they did, in the midst of Christian institutions, their characters had been to some extent moulded by their surroundings. …. yet his new belief, while setting aside the Bible, offered nothing better to take its place, and he remained far from satisfied.”

Great Controversy, p.318

We are familiar with the influences of our peers. Miller was surrounded by a group of friends, good people is the evidence in the passage, who were deists. What a deist is doesn’t matter, what does matter is that the new belief did not satisfy his needs.

I love Miller’s response. He realised that there might be a being so good and compassionate as to save people from sin. Miller found that only the Bible could give evidence of such a Saviour. He decided that the Bible was a revelation from God and found great enjoyment from learning all the things that other people found to be secrets and mysteries.

Miller began traveling and delivered more than 300 lectures with the constant theme – 'Are you ready to meet your Saviour?' There is a deeper appeal here though. William Miller was not the man who would leap feet first into any new idea. It took 12 years for him to decide that he ought to study the Bible. It took many years for him to realise he had a personal responsibility to tell other people of his findings, becoming author of “Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, About the Year 1843', and editing two journals – New York's Midnight Cry, and Boston's 'Signs of the Times'.

The obvious encouragement for us is … read your Bible. You will find great truths and may become immersed in thought processes which bring real satisfaction. Miller took his time. We shouldn’t. Centuries have passed since the Millerites and their followers were disappointed when the year 1843/4 c\me and went without the return of Christ. William wrote: "We have passed what the world calls the last round of 1843 … Does your heart begin to quail? Or are you waiting for your blessed hope in the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ?" In contrast, we are very close to Christ's return.

William Miller may have taken twelve years, but this serves as a cautionary Word for us today, “I tell you, now is the time of God's favour, now is the day of salvation.” - 2 Corinthians 6:2.

If you find yourself in the starting blocks of a new beginning, and you believe God has purposed your journey, trust Him no matter what. He is in control and has a plan. If you remain obedient to God, you will see His purposes and blessings unfold and receive all the abundance and reward that He has for you, ultimately forgetting all the injustices that occur along the way.

(Acknowledgements Pastor Peter Jeynes and Christianity Today.com).

Today's music is "Midnight Cry" - the Gaither Vocal Band.  Click on  the picture to listen.