13. 1907 - Holy Laughter

1907 - Holy Laughter In the summer of 1907 John went to a friend’s house for a holiday. It was in the M— Hills. The friend writes about it thus: "The crowning act of God’s love to us personally was the wonderful way in which he brought Mr. Hyde up to stay with us. I also had to come up to do duty among some English troops here. So Hyde and I have been having glorious times together. There were seasons of great conflict and at times I thought Hyde would break down completely. But after all nights of prayer and praise he would appear fresh and smiling in the morning. God has been teaching us wonderful lessons when he calls us to seasons of such wrestling. It is that com- mand in 2 Timothy I : 8, "Suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God." So that we have the power of God to draw upon for all our need. Ever since Mr. Hyde realized this he says he has scarcely ever felt tired, though he has had at times little sleep for weeks. No man need ever break down through overstrain in this ministry of intercession."

"Another element of power: ’The joy of the Lord is your strength.’ Ah G—, a poor Punjabi brother of low caste origin, has been used of God to teach us all how to make such times of prayer a very heaven upon earth, how to prevent the pleasure of praying and even of wrestling ever des- cending into a toil. How often has G— after most awful crying seemed to break through the hosts of evil and soar up into the presence of the Father! You could see the smile of God reflec- ted in his face. Then he would laugh aloud in the midst of his prayer. It was the joy of a son rev- elling in the delight of his Father’s smile. God has been teaching John and me that his name is the God of Isaac—laughter. Have you observed that picture of heaven in Pro 8:30 ? ’I was daily in his delight.’ This is the Father’s love being showered upon his own Son. No wonder that in such a home the Son should say that he was ’always rejoicing before him.’ ’Rejoicing,’ laugh- ing, the same word as Isaac. This holy laughter seemed to relieve the tension and give heav- en’s own refreshment to wrestling spirits.

"I must tell you of dear Hyde’s last message before he returned to Ludhiana. It was a special revelation to Paul, and one which the Spirit forced him to give out to the Romans, that he had unceasing pain, for he could wish that he himself were anathema from Christ for his kinsmen according to the flesh (Rom 9:1-3). Surely this was more than Paul’s love for Christ. When he could wish that he should be what Christ had become for us—a curse! Fancy having to give up all hope in Christ! Fancy going back to the old sins and their domination over us! The thought is unbearable! Yet such was the divine pity in Paul’s heart that he was willing to be anathema from Christ, if it were possible in this way to save his kinsmen the Jews. Such in a few words was God’s message by his messenger, John Hyde. How we all broke down! Ah, God’s love was in- deed shed abroad in the hearts of those present. All this was leading to the great crisis in John Hyde’s prayerlife, which I had the privilege of seeing."