God Meant It Unto Good
A Tract written by Arthur E. Gordon, who lived from 1925-1981
The testimony of a paralytic
In the midst of the New Testament stands a storehouse of spiritual treasure called The Epistle of Paul to the Romans. In the middle of this storehouse lies a treasure chest filled with precious gems of eternal truth. This treasure chest, the eighth chapter of Romans, contains one gem which immediately catches the eye for its unparalleled beauty--verse 28. Verse 28 reads: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." "And we know," i.e. we Christians know. We know because God tells us so. We know because we have found it so by experience.
I was "called" of God in January, 1945. The place was a bit out of the ordinary. It was aboard an American troop-transport somewhere on the Atlantic, just four days out of New York, headed toward the battlefields in Germany, when the Holy Spirit brought me to the end of myself and to whole-hearted faith in Jesus Christ. This experience changed my life and started me thinking along different lines. I felt immediately God wanted me to witness to lost souls. After the war and my discharge from the Army I started training, first in Bible school, then college and seminary, for what I thought would possibly lead to a pastorate, missionary work, or some such work of the ministry.
This was my reasoning, but what I had yet to learn was that He who called me, called me "according to HIS purpose." I had no idea what His purpose involved. In August, 1955, my wife and I and our three children were to enter upon an experience which none of us realized at the time would be a new application for us of the "all things (which) work together for good." We were to experience the working of seeming tragedy "for good."
On that date two of our children and I entered the hospital with paralytic polio. The children rallied quickly and after a few weeks were well on the way to almost complete recovery. My muscles refused to respond however, leaving me paralyzed from the neck down. Thirteen months of hospitalization followed. Although the muscles didn't return, a certain amount of independence was gained through special gadgets which had been invented to help paralytics.
God's purpose at first was not clear. I was given to wondering what it all meant. I wondered what good was seminary training, now that I was entombed in an iron lung. Then one day a Scripture came to mind which I had learned long before. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths," (Proverbs 3:5,6).
I resolutely determined, then and there, to do what these verses enjoined. I began to trust the Lord for the present circumstances, and ceased trying to understand the reasons. Also I acknowledged Him to the first person who came along, which happened to be my physical therapist. She smiled indulgently as I asked: "Do you know that God loves you and that Jesus Christ died for your sins?" She apparently thought I had lapsed into delirium again, and didn't give me too much encouragement. But her response (or lack of response) didn't bother me, for I was happily stepping out on one of God's never-changing promises and was filled with anticipation to see how He would bring it to pass. "He shall direct thy paths," was the promise; and oh, how wonderfully He did just that.
Shortly after my decision to trust and acknowledge the Lord in my supine position, a student nurse stopped by one afternoon to say good-bye for the day. In our conversation I asked her if she attended church. She answered in the affirmative. Then I asked if she were saved. She didn't know. I explained the plan of salvation and had her read John 3:16 from my New Testament. Before she could finish she burst into tears. I asked if she would believe in Christ as her Saviour. She said "Yes!" We prayed, and the little nurse left my bedside with the new-found joy of salvation.
Later the same day two of her roommates asked me of her experience and shortly they too had decided for Christ. In the next few months of hospitalization several more made decisions. Since it takes the repentance of only one sinner to fill the courts of heaven with rejoicing, I was beginning to understand how all this was working "together for good."
The months passed not too rapidly but eventually I was once more enjoying family and home. Our home was arranged to best accommodate a wheelchair father. An electric typewriter was placed within reach of my mouth-stick which I now used instead of paralyzed fingers. Gradually the Lord led my wife and me into our present ministry.
In August of '57, just two years after our encounter with polio, we sent out the first issue of TRIUMPH, a mimeographed devotional, to some 800 homes. The name was inspired by verse 14 of Second Corinthians, chapter 2; "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." Immediately letters began to come in telling of blessings received from our publication. Many of them contained money to help with expenses. Each month from then till now TRIUMPH has gone out into more and more homes. Never once have we been short of finances; God has supplied through His people.
Our mailing list to date has over 4000 names. Many say they pass the paper on to others. Two years ago (August, '59) the job became too big for mimeographing, so TRIUMPH took on a new format and became a 6-page printed devotional. Scores of handicapped and shut-ins receive its message of comfort and encouragement each month. Several handicapped have themselves contributed articles. Many dedicated pastors, professors, and missionaries, and not a few layfolk have made their journalistic contributions. TRIUMPH not only extends across the United States but to many foreign countries. What can we say to all of this? "To God Be The Glory, Great Things He Has Done!"
Jacob's sons had evil intentions when they sold their brother, Joseph into Egyptian slavery. But when the end was known, God was seen to have had His hand in the whole proceeding. "Ye thought evil against me," testified Joseph to his brothers, "but GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Genesis 50:20). What seemed at the time tragic circumstances for Joseph, in reality turned out to be a great deliverance for the nation of Israel and a mighty triumph under God. Likewise today we may be assured that "all things (even apparent tragedy) work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Indeed God's purpose in our lives has to a marked degree become abundantly evident. Our praise goes up to Him continually for so high a calling. "Thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ . . ."
