Letters

TO ONE GRIEVING THE DEATH OF HIS SISTER

Dear S. D.                                                                                                          April 26, 1990

     I was very saddened to learn of your sister's death. I share with you your sorrow, and pledge to you my support. Death is the universal memorial of our guilt and shame, but our gracious Lord has assured us that Death itself shall one day be destroyed.

I think it was John Bunyan who wrote,

Life is short;                                                            Death is sure;                                                              Sin the cause;                                                                 Christ the cure.

    But death is only a momentary cause of sadness if we know the deceased was a godly person. So, Cotton Mather urged that children be taught their lack of Christ, the worth of Christ, and how they may come to Christ.

    Bro. S., I weep with you, and I want you to know of my love for you. May the peace of God rest upon you in this your hour of need. In the name of our Lord Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, I remain yours.

TO ONE GRIEVING THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER

Dear E. H.                                                                                                       March 30, 1988

     Mr. F. just told me of the death of your father. I do not know how it eluded me, but I wanted to write and express my sorrow at your loss. God is great; God is good. God is great in His goodness, and He is good in His greatness. In fact, the word "god" is Anglo-Saxon and comes from the root meaning "good." The German words "Gott" and "Godt" come from the root word meaning "good." The Arabic word for "god" is "goda" and comes from the root word meaning "good." It is the testimony of men from every clime that God is the Author of every good and perfect gift.

    When He finished the work of creation, God looked upon all He had made and pronounced it "very good." Only a good God would do good things.

    God is good in what He wants of us. Unlike the gods of the Egyptians, the Hindus, and the Buddhists, the only wise God, our Saviour, requires us simply to fear Him, to walk in His ways, to love Him, to serve Him, and to "keep the commandments of the LORD, and His statutes, which I command thee this day FOR THY GOOD" (Deuteronomy 10:12,13). God has never withheld from us one thing that was good: only evil things. He does this because He has designed these things to destroy.

      We are told that all things are designed for our good if we love Him in truth. We do not see what God "only wise" sees. We will not question why He does such things as to leave us torn from our loved ones, for that would be to doubt His wisdom. Nor will we complain to Him, for that would be to doubt His goodness. Instead, we will prostrate ourselves at His feet, and trust the keeping of our souls unto Him who alone is faithful.

TO ONE GRIEVING THE DEATH OF HIS DAUGHTER

Dear S. T.                                                                                                          April 18, 1993

      What a painful experience you have had to face. I have never as yet been called upon to mourn the death of my child, yet my heart grieves for you in this time of awful loss. S., God is great ...although we do not know particular "Why's" we do know that God is good, and that He has purposed all things for our good who love Him and who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). ... God is good, and as such He has all power in heaven and in earth at His disposal. We must not doubt His ability. Now, we see through a glass darkly, but one day we shall know even as we are known.

     S., go onward: "Stand, then, in His great might." I am enclosing a booklet by a well-known Scottish preacher of the last century. It was originally published under the title, Bethany: The Sickness, Death and Resurrection of Lazarus and focuses on the words, "He whom thou lovest is sick." May this be a comfort and an encouragement to you in these sobering days.

TO THOSE GRIEVING THE DEATH OF THEIR SON

Dear H. T.                                                                                                 November 20, 1987

      ...We do not know why we must suffer such a particular loss at such a time, but we do know that because "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:27-28).

     At such a time as this, we must not question, or complain. To do either would be tantamount to denying His wisdom or His goodness. Certainly God knows what He is doing, and as for His goodness, has He not promised us that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28)? If we can make an honest confession that we love God, we have His Word that He has designed all things to work together for our good. The hymn writer has penned,

And couldst Thou be delighted with sinners such as we                  Who when we saw Thee slighted and nailed Thee to a tree? Unfathomable wonder, and mystery divine!                                    The voice that speaks in thunder says, "Sinner, I am thine!"

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