by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Though the mills of God grind slowly,
Yet they grind exceedingly small;
Though with patience He stands waiting,
With exactness grinds He all.
Longfellow’s poem echoes the Greek poet who wrote, “The mills of the gods grind late, but they grind fine.”
If you’re on the side of the law-abiding, peace-loving equation, this sounds wonderful. Those wicked, devious, cruel law-breakers are some day going to get their due. They look down upon their fellow man. They scorn to help those less fortunate than themselves. They are the antithesis of the definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. They exalt themselves instead of God. Prospering in the midst of their evil-doing, they are nevertheless setting a snare for their own feet. Yes, their day will come. God will bring them to account. Each and every one of the transgressors will be brought before the throne of God. For the mills of God grind slowly, but with exactness grinds He all.
It’s a comforting message because we are certain of the righteousness of our God. He cannot and will not allow any iniquity to remain unpunished. There is a recompense due to those who break God’s laws.
And just when we get very indignant at evil-doers, and smug at their eventual demise, it strikes us suddenly, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
Keep short accounts. The mills grind slowly; take advantage of the grace of time to draw near to the Savior.