The Separations of the Spirit

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them,” — ACTs xiii. 2.

i S there then a separation of friends which

owes its origin to divine love? These men had been watching together, communing together, praying together; was it not hard that a separation should come, harder still that it should come from the Spirit of God? Nay, but the separation was meant to be the cement of a future and a firmer union. It was the removal from a lower circle of two of its greatest members in order that these might find a more powerful rivet of the chain. The Spirit of love had given a temporary wound to love for the sake of love. It had brought a shadow upon the scene in the interest of a brighter sunshine, it had cast a gloom over the day in preparation for a grander glory. O Thou divine Spirit, I thank Thee for this revelation. My darkest hours have been the J hours that have separated great souls from the circle of earthly life. I have seen the leaderz of the age in church and state removed and I have asked why the work of humanity is so indifferent to Thee. But Thou hast answered me here. Thou hast told me that these separations came not from Thine indifference but from Thine interest in the work of humanity. Thy separations are separations “for the work of the ministry.” There are spirits that cannot serve Thee perfectly in the tabernacle of clay; Thou breakest the tabernacle and settest them free. There are souls that would do greater works than what we see if they could only ascend to their Father; Thou givest them wings that they may fly away. There are lives that could speak to larger numbers if they had powers of larger locomotion; Thou sendest the chariot called death and settest their feet in a large room. Thou art Thyself the union of all separations; the chariot cannot long divide us if its goal is towards Thee.