The Personal Spiritual Life of Henrietta Mears by Andrea Van Boven
I am so pleased to introduce you to this book, A Little Drop of Love, about Henrietta Mears by Andrea Van Boven. Dr. Mears had a great indirect impact on my life, and probably on yours, if you have attended Sunday school, or a Christian camp, or participated in a campus ministry, listened to Billy Graham, if you have been discipled by a Spirit-filled believer, if you have gone on a mission trip, or read a Christian book. This gives a little glimpse into her walk with God.
The private devotional and prayer life of Henrietta C. Mears was indeed private. She did not keep personal prayer or devotional journals, probably because she chose to save her eyes for teaching preparation. We can, however, gain some insight into her personal life with God through some of her teaching notes and from those who knew her well, lived with her, and prayed with her.
Young Henrietta literally learned about time alone with her God at the knee of her mother. Her family modeled it to her. Her mother had the habit of reading the Bible to her even when she was quite young.
Intimacy with God
Some of her notes also give us a sense of her intimacy with God. She describes the difference between a person’s inner and outer life, and the direct relationship the first one has on the other:
“The inner life is all the life we have as Christians. It is the life ‘hid with Christ in God.’ It is life real and sufficient, for we are ‘complete in Him.’ The outer life is that expression of the life that makes Christ known to others. ‘What you are speaks so loudly, men cannot hear what you say.’”
She also talked more specifically about the source of intimacy with and in God. “The deeper life is rooted in eternity. It begins in Him who was ‘in the beginning with God.’ God gives us eternal life.” She went on to say, “The higher life is the life Jesus is living for us at the right hand of God, and is living in us. Galatians 2:20 says, ‘My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’”
It can be said that she did not see a separation between this life and eternal life. They are intertwined. The more a person puts their trust in God, the more fully they can allow the Holy Spirit to guide and empower them to become more like Christ. Living consistently from that conviction kept her overflowing with all she needed to pour into the lives of others.
Where a child of God lives
The following document, Six Positions of the Child of God, is a delightful summary of her idea of what it looks like to trust God:
In His hand for safety. “ . . . Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). Have you ever put yourself in God’s hand? A place outside of God’s will is too risky a place for any child of God to contemplate.
On his shoulder for support. “And when he hath found it (the sheep), he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing” (Luke 15:5). Isaiah 9:6 says of Christ, “ . . . And the government shall be upon his shoulder . . . ” Here is the place of strength.
At his feet to be taught. Picture the demon-possessed man “ . . . sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind . . . ” (Luke 8:35). “ . . . Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word” (Luke 10:29). Be willing to stop and sit awhile at the Master’s feet. Here is the place to learn.
At his side for fellowship. Mary understood Jesus. So few understand. She knew his heart of love. She realized He longed for companionship more than anything else. “And he ordained the twelve, that they should be with him . . . ” (Mark 3:14). Remember, Christ does not want anything to take the place of communion with himself.
In his arm for rest. “ . . . He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom. . .” (Isa 40:11). Trust in the Lord. Just as a babe sleeps in his mother’s arms, so let us relax in the arms of our loving savior. He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
Beside the still waters for refreshment. “He maketh me lie down in green pastures . . . ” (Ps 23:2). Christ provides the living stream. Isaiah 55:1 is Christ’s invitation for today: “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters . . . ” So many lives are parched and dry and need the refreshing cool water. Christ says that if we drink of the water that he gives we will never thirst.
This sort of lesson is one that grows out of her personal experience with the living God.
Expectancy in prayer
Prayer was her main way of demonstrating continual dependence on God to accomplish what he had given her to do in life. Teacher modeled that dependence on God for his enabling through the power of the Holy Spirit, asking him to intervene in the lives of students. This gave each prayer she prayed a sense of expectancy, knowing that as one prayed seeking God’s will, he would answer.
Louis Evans Jr. once commented that the prayers she prayed in public, before and after lessons, were not the same as her prayer in small groups with the leadership of the College department. When “the executive cabinet of the College Department was in a strategic planning mode with her, then we saw a whole different prayer.” It was intense, specific, and intimate. Dale Bruner described Saturday morning prayer as “very dynamic, exciting, and enthusiastic prayer. She liked to have others pray with her. She liked prayer groups.”
Bill Greigh, her cousin and often her travel companion, described her prayer priority this way: “I don’t think you can overemphasize [it] . . . I just don’t think you can overemphasize [it]. All the good stuff she did would not have happened if not for prayer.”239
"Used with permission from Wipf and Stock Publishers: www.wipfandstock.com"
Andrea Van Boven is a cross cultural missionary, historian, prayer consultant, blogger, and the author of: A Little Drop of Love: Henrietta Mears, How She Helped Change a Generation and You Can Too . With more than 40 years of vocational ministry experience around the world, Andrea brings a depth of personal experience to ministry endeavors and to the biography of Henrietta Mears and its application.
Check out Andrea’s multifacetedblog.net. The vision of the blog is to invite discourse on the multifaceted nature of our Creator, and our relationship with this amazingly loving, and Living God.
Special discount: Through Easter, $2.99 on Kindle at 40% off at wipfandstock.com with the code LOVE.
Photos of Miss Mears courtesy of Azusa Pacific University Special Collections