A VERY PRESENT HELP Testimony to the Faithfulness of God Sir William Dobbie Book Review

A Very Present Help: A Testimony to the Faithfulness of GodSir William George Shedden Dobbie, author

1945 Zondervan Publishing House (third edition)

Recommended Book

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46: 1 KJV


 First published by Marshall, Morgan and Scott, Ltd., London, England, 1944. This edition published by Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1945.

William Shedden Dobbie gives us the story of his childhood and testimony of salvation during his teen years, each Christian’s call to follow the path that the Lord has chosen, and following that his entry into service where he played a key role during World War II for England.

“God does not always call us to walk in the path which one would choose oneself. We may think that we could serve Him better in some other calling. But God makes no mistake. He knows what He wants, and what is best.”

Dobbie writes of placing complete trust in God, and witnessing faith by never being ashamed of the Gospel – that is, for others to know of our faith. He writes about what the Bible says about Christians being in military service as opposed to pacifism, and of God’s righteousness and peace.

A Very Present Help demonstrates a life lived fully within God’s will, from the time of personal commitment and thereafter. Dobbie demonstrates how he never walked without God at his side, and explains the necessity of the daily “spiritual meal” consisting of two courses – prayer and study of Scripture. He gives three ways of discerning God’s will for ourselves – from the Bible, circumstances, and inward revelation – all of which follows first being right with God.

The author closes the book with the following thought.

Pacifism in the present state of the world may be little less than a sacrifice of Christian principle to humanitarian sentiment. The Christian attitude must be “Righteousness at any cost,” not “Peace at any price,” for the best way to preserve peace is to be strong in righteousness.

babamarusia recommends this book

I recommend this book for both reading and discussion, for the young adult and older. Issues addressed in this book, along with those that arise from reading it, are important in every era. What is our concept as Christians as to when war is to be participated in and fought? Is righteousness more important than attempting world peace? Where is God’s hand in the world, and what is to be our role? Does God call Christians to military? Is it more difficult to witness ourselves as Christians at all times in 2009 as compared to 1944?

Black & White Photograph Plates
1. Frontispiece: Lieut.-General Sir William Dobbie, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., D.S.O

2. Map shows position of Malta in relation to Sicily and the Italian mainland. Top—the harbor of Valetta, with British men-of-war at anchor. Bottom—One of the big coastal guns.

3. a. On the eve of war – British warships at Malta. b. A German plane bombing Malta – one of over 2,100 air raids endured, earning for the island the unenviable record of being “the most blitzed spot on earth.”

4. a. “Alpine climbing” in Malta after an Axis air raid. b. One of thirty underground shelters in which the heroic citizens of Malta slept and lived during the long siege.

5. On Sunday, June 20, 1943, His Majesty King George VI visited Malta. This photo was taken as H.M.S. “Aurora” entered the grand harbor. It shows the King on the bridge saluting the heroic island fortress, prior to landing.

6. Premier Winston Churchill visited Malta in November, 1943.

Contents
1. The Crisis of 1940
2. The Beginning of the Way
3. The Christian and the World
4. The Life – Letting God Guide
5. Christianity and Military Service
6. God – a Very Present Help
7. Prayer – Contact with God
8. The Bible – God’s Word
9. Service – for the King of Kings
10. The Miracle of Malta (a) The Problem of Defense
11. The Miracle of Malta (b) The Solution of the Problem
12. The Miracle of Malta (c) The Hand of God
13. The Nation and God
14. Christ the Friend
Appendix to Chapter 5

Publisher: Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI
Copyright: 1945 by Zondervan Publishing House
OCLC: 3502282
Printing: third edition
Format: Hardcover
Size: 20 cm
Pages: 135 + black & white plates

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