Put Your Hand in the Hand of God
by Liz Griffin
Britain had been at war for three months when King George VI made his famous speech, saying, “I feel that we may all find a message of encouragement in the lines which, in my closing words, I would like to say to you”. He then read an excerpt from a poem, called ‘God Knows’, given to him by his 13-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth.
“I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be better than light, and safer than a known way’”.
I like the fact that he finished his speech by saying a short prayer, “May that Almighty Hand guide and uphold us all”.
The King did not name the author of the poem, but on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) the BBC announced that the author was Minnie Louise Haskins. When she was interviewed by the newspapers, she said, “I thought the words sounded familiar and suddenly it dawned on me that they were out of my little book”. She had written them nearly thirty years ago.
She had gone out to India to do missionary work, where I’m sure she must have faced many challenges. She began writing books of poetry to raise money for the Zenana Missions to women. Perhaps she found comfort in difficult times from such verses as, ‘The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand’ (Psalm 37:23-24) and ‘Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterwards you will take me into glory’ (Psalms 73:23-24).
The words from her poem, ‘God Knows’, which follow those quoted by the king are not so well known, but they show us something this missionary’s personal faith in God and her ability to choose to trust Him in times of uncertainty.
‘So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East. So heart be still: What need our little life our human life to know, if God hath comprehension? In all the dizzy strife of things both high and low, God hideth His intention. God knows. His will is best. The stretch of years which wind ahead, so dim to our imperfect vision, are clear to God’.
Liz Griffin lived for 20 years as an expatriate in South Africa, Bahrain and Japan, as her husband Paul worked for an international oil company. Paul and Liz became involved with Ellel Ministries in 1991 as part of the ministry team and joined the full-time team at Ellel Grange in 1995. Paul and Liz teach and minister to those seeking healing in their lives and together have written two books, 'Anger - How Do You Handle It' and 'Hope and Healing For The Abused'.
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