You ask then how I knew God was present, when his ways can in no way be traced? He is life and power, and as soon as he enters in, he awakens my slumbering soul; he stirs and soothes and pierces my heart, for before it was hard as stone, and diseased. So he has begun to pluck out and destroy, to build up and to plant, to water dry places and illuminate dark ones; to open what was closed and to warm what was cold; to make the crooked straight and the rough places smooth, so that my soul may bless the Lord, and all that is with me may praise his holy name.
–Bernard of Clairvaux
On the Song of Songs 74:6, from In the School of Love: An Anthology of Early Cistercian Texts, selected and annotated by Edith Scholl, OCSO.
When pastor at Moon Run I was invited to candidate at Ravenswood, WV where ALCOA was building a new plant, had already built a new public school, and was bringing in 500 management. The congregation was an ideal group and I was ready to accept a call. But, during the night before I was to preach, (which they liked) I was awakened with the nagging sense that I should refuse the call. I sat bolt upright and tried to convince the Lord this was the place for me, to no avail. Finally I said,”Ok Lord, I’ll do what you want”, and went back to sleep. That changed the whole direction of my ministry. GOD works in his mysterious ways.