Letters  

TO THE BEREAVED TO ONE GRIEVING THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND

Dear B. F.                                                                                                      March 20, 1990

     "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee" (Isaiah 54:10).

     This is one of my favorite portions in God's Word, for it teaches us that when all around us gives way, God is still faithful to His own.

      Mountains, the very symbol of stability, the place of refuge, shall depart. Everything on earth is unstable, and for that reason all here is unworthy of our confidence. Yet, while even the mountains, those bastions of security, depart, we must not think God's kindness has departed with them. We cannot use our circumstances to measure God's kindness to us.

     The mountains shall depart, yet, His kindness shall not depart, but shall continue. Every mountain will sooner depart than one of God's promises fail. Take those things that appear most stable, and realize the faithfulness of God's mercy is more worthy our confidence. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea" (Psalm 46:1,2). The past 12 months have been especially trying to you and to the family. Our love and prayers are with you. ...Dear B., I trust you will find mercy and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ at this particular junction in your life, "for thy Maker is thine husband" (Isaiah 54:5).

Dear J. M.                                                                                                          April 28, 1994

      ...We were very sad to hear of the tragic accident that cost D. his life. We pray the man who was charged will find mercy and relief from grief that only Christ can give.

     How earth-shaking must such a thing be to R. and the children. I would remind her of the tender words in Isaiah 54:5: "For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called." He is a sufficient Saviour, so He is able to give real and enduring comfort. He who knows us better than we know ourselves is able to fill that aching void. We are told that we can commit the keeping of our souls unto Him because He is a faithful Creator; surely we can commit to Him the rest of our needs whether emotional, physical, or financial.

     Without a doubt, this will cause R. to look unto Christ, and to lean upon Him to a greater degree than she has ever before felt necessary. But the Lord will not place upon her overmuch grief. He is more kind, and tender than any earthly father.

    Some things R. needs to consider: does she have family where she and D. lived? If not, will she want to remain there among her Christian friends, or will the memories be too great a distraction? She may wish to remain with her friends. Or, will she want to have fresh beginnings, and come under a new church that will have to accept her hardships? There is no right or wrong answer to these questions. It may be that she would want to move near you. Perhaps, the Lord would have you help her financially, and perhaps other members of the family would also be willing to help, if not for Jesus' sake, at least for the sake of family.

     We will pray for you and for R. and the children. Though we have never met her, our love and prayers are with her.

TO ONE QUESTIONING GOD ON THE DEATH OF HER BROTHER

Dear K. S.                                                                                                     October 7, 1990

      There used to be an old chant children used when jumping rope:

Doctor, doctor, will I die?                                                                Yes, my child; and so shall I.

     The Bible tell us, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). This is the reality of all since sin entered our world. This is the means God has appointed to remove His children from earth to heaven. If it were left up to us, we would never allow God to take any of our family, but death is as much a reality as life. If we live, we must die.

     There are people on television, and on the radio who are preaching a false concept of the Gospel. They tell us if we claim anything, God will give it to us. This is not so. I have no doubt you prayed very earnestly and sincerely that God would not take our dear brother, but God did not give us what we asked because it was our Father's good pleasure to give him the Kingdom, and to bring him home.

    If we could talk to brother H. today and ask him if he would return to the land of the living, he would emphatically answer, "No!" It would not be because he does not love us, but only that he has gone before us to a new phase of service for the Master.

    Faith is not thinking positively, nor is it talking ourselves into believing something false: and, it is false to believe that we can make our will God's will. God is not our puppet to dance to our tune, or to act as our servant. We are to bow humbly and reverently before Him, and believe that God is great; and God is good. He is good in what He has done, and He is good in what He wants from us. God may not have done according to our will, but because He is God, He can do according to His will.

     Consider this: what if God had heard your earnest prayers to leave brother H. with us only to leave him with a broken spine that cannot mend. Surely no one would choose this. It is therefore good that sometimes God does not give us what we ask. This is the reason we pray "in Jesus' name," and according to His will, and we believe God is good and that He does that which is good. "May God Smile On You," and be gracious unto you for Jesus' sake.

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