Devotions with Ruth #4

'The very least and the very greatest sorrows that God ever suffers to befall thee, proceed from the depths of His unspeakable Love...whatever happens to you that causes you distress or pain, it will all help to fit you for a noble and blessed state.' John Tauler

I wish I had Ruth's personal journal. Okay, so she probably didn't keep one, but if she had, I would have liked to have read it. How amazing it would be to know her thoughts and heart as she was on this new journey: new wife, widow, leaves family for good to follow her mother in law, a new faith, a new country, providing for her mother in law, a new husband, and son. I would have liked to have known her thoughts on her grief, her struggle with all this newness, her getting to know Jehovah and trying to understand His ways. Did she come to the conclusion that all this was out of the 'depths of His unspeakable love' for her?

"January 1, 2007-  A new year, a good day. Matthew Allen, left for home, Dale and Matthew E went golfing, I took the girls for coffee, came home, Em read, Grace slept, Hannah and I took down the Christmas decorations. Calls from Julie and Uncle Tony. I called Lisa.  I am looking forward to this year, to doing better physically, (exercising) and striving forward spiritually. It was a good year with many blessings from the Lord. We shall watch this year, His hand move, in joy."  So was a journal entry from mine only a few months before we found out about Dale's cancer. "Did I see that as from 'the depths of His unspeakable love' for me?

I had some overnight company recently, as we were talking and catching up, I made mention that though I never would have chosen Dale's death to bring me to the place I am,  I had come realize that the things I have learned, my growth in the Lord, where He has brought me, would not have happened if Dale were still here. Believe you me, I often wish for Dale to be by my side. But God in His unspeakable love, in His infinite wisdom has chosen this path for me, knowing it would be how I would know Him better. God had to take Mahlon from Ruth in order to bring her to Himself. It hurts, its hard, yet His mercy and grace gives the strength, fills the void and heals the wound. We each have our hard issue that puts us in the place of trusting and growing in the Lord, whether a difficult marriage, a wayward child, chronic illness, the list goes on and on. These are hard things. We would wish them to be better, to not be, but if it is what will make you more like Jesus, is that not worth it? Do you see where you are, what you are dealing with as from the 'depths of His unspeakable love' to put you in a more noble and blessed state?  I pray so.