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“The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21
The above famous words were spoken by the Biblical patriarch Job when he was stripped of his property and bereaved of all of his children in one day. Instantly reduced from affluence to poverty, from supreme happiness to supreme suffering, he exclaimed, “Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Such language becomes us, because all we have is from the goodness of God. All we have He gave or, rather lent us; and whatever He has lent us He may recall.
The Lord has just bereaved you. The stroke is very painful. You feel it deeply. Your hopes are, perhaps, blighted, and your prospects beclouded. You are touched in a very tender part. You cannot but mourn; perhaps you refuse to be comforted. You dwell upon the memories of the one who has gone, upon the plans you had formed, upon the hopes which filled your heart; but death appeared and left you bereaved.
“The heart knoweth its own bitterness,” and we have no desire to intrude upon your private grief. This is sent to you with the sincere desire to help in a moment of real trial and need. For the most part, we speak not in the words of any man, however good or wise, but in the words of God as contained in the Holy Scriptures.
I.
Recognize the over-ruling providence of God. In His hands is the breath of every living creature. This silenced the Psalmist’s complaining mind. He said, “I was dumb, I opened not my mouth because THOU DIDST IT.” Psalm 39:9. Had any created being done it, he might have acted unwisely, or unkindly, or both; but the Lord did it. Whatever the circumstances, the over-ruling decision lay with God. “Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth?” Job 7:1. This time is arranged by infinite wisdom. Do not cast suspicion upon that wisdom. “The LORD is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works.” Psalm 145:17. He has made no mistake. You may not, at present, see why He has done it, because “clouds and darkness are around about Him;” but He says to you, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. This painful visitation may be among His choicest mercies; it may be intended to be a source of the greatest good to your soul, or to your family. There is a cause. The Lord has acted worthy of Himself; and if you could only see the whole, instead of having your mind fixed upon a part of His plan, you would adore the wisdom of God who sees the end from the beginning.
II.
It will be a great relief to you if at this time you fix your mind upon God’s character as it is revealed in His Word. There He reveals Himself not only as just, but gracious; not only as holy, but merciful. Jehovah has revealed Himself to us in Jesus. “The only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” John 1:18. If you would understand the character of God, if you would know Him correctly—know Him so as to love Him, so as to trust Him, so as to be satisfied with all He does—then study the character, works, preaching, sufferings, and death of Christ. There, as in a mirror, God is seen. When therefore, “Philip saith unto Him, Lord shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou shew us the Father.” John 14:8-9. In Jesus, “God is love.” In your present trouble, He invites you to His throne. He is willing to bless you. He waits to see you come before Him with humility, in the name of His son, that He may be gracious unto you. And, if you come to Him thus, “He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee.” Isaiah 30:19. Is your heart burdened with grief, ready to burst with anguish? He invites you to Him, to “pour out your heart before Him.” Psalm 62:8. Go then alone, fall upon your knees at His footstool, tell Him the tale of your woes, unburden your heart to Him, and seek grace from the fullness of Jesus to sanctify your present trouble. This will soothe and soften and relieve your spirit. He will not refuse to listen to your prayer; for He says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15. This is a day of trouble; accept His invitation; appeal to His mercy; plead His promise; expect to be accepted, answered, and blessed only for the sake of Jesus; and He will receive you graciously, love you freely, and turn your sighs of sorrow into songs of praise. Read His Holy Word, especially the Psalms, the precious promises, the sweet invitations, and the striking answers to prayer which He has given. Read these as if written on purpose for you. Read them as immediately beneath the eye of God. By these God speaks to you. He speaks to you of Himself, of the way of salvation, of the mercies He has provided, and of the comfort He is willing to impart to all who ask Him in faith. Nor let your present trial lead you to overlook the many mercies still left to you. God has not taken away your all; He has continued to you many comforts, and He offers you more, for He offers you Himself. He proposes Himself to fill the place of the departed one; and He is worthy of the highest place in your affections. Let not the loss of one comfort lead you to slight, neglect, or forget the many thousand mercies which remain.
III.
In view of this stroke, which has brought home to you the emptiness of the world and the transitory character of so much that men pursue, how important must the soul’s relation to God appear! He has provided a way of salvation. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15)—to save sinners by fulfilling the law which they had broken, and by paying the penalty which they had incurred. “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. There is pardon through the blood of Christ, but through His blood alone: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. There is justification through the obedience of Christ, but through that alone: “As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.” Romans 5:19.
Death and eternity stamp an infinite importance on salvation. Let me therefore ask you, my bereaved friend, if you have found this salvation of which the Scriptures speak?
IV.
Is the sorrowing reader a Christian—one with Christ? Then this dispensation may be sent to bid thee “make thy calling and thy election sure.” Rest not satisfied with the probabilities; be not contented with a feeble hope; but seek the Spirit’s witness, the inward, well-founded persuasion of thy regeneration and adoption. Have you received Christ? Walk in Him. Make more use of Christ. Live upon Him as your daily bread. Walk with Him as your tried and faithful Friend. Consult His will in all things. Watch His hand in all events. Aim at His glory in all you do. Stand ready to surrender whatever He may demand. Hold all you have as the property of your Saviour. Seek to enjoy His presence with all your mercies, and to extend His kingdom by all your means.
Remember, Jesus gave Himself for you that He might redeem you from all iniquity, and purify you unto Himself as one of His “peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14. Live for eternity. You are walking on its margin; become familiar with its solemn realities.
Remember, also, God is faithful to His promises. He bids you, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22. He says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10. Can words be more simple? Can a promise be more positive than this? He has given you a kingdom, and He will lead you safely home to possess it. Meditate on that precious passage, “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32. “O LORD of Hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee. Psalm 84:12
V.
But should the bereaved reader of these lines feel he cannot claim these precious promises; if he be one who is living without God, without Christ, and without hope in the world, then your case concerns us all the more. The promises of God yield you no comfort. The thoughts of eternity afford you no pleasure. Your wounded heart is desolate and dreary. The love of Jesus does not console and cheer your spirit. Think, dear friend, of your state! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2. Hear the rod, and who hath appointed it.” Micah 6:9. The Lord calls you to Him. He opens the arms of His mercy to you. He will give you, by His Holy spirit, the repose He has promised. He will soothe your sorrows, heal your wounded heart, pardon your sins, and make you meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light.
The only obstacle in your way, the only bar between you and the Saviour, the only hindrance to your salvation, is your refusal to believe. Peace and hope may be yours now by yielding your will to God as revealed in Christ. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31. The LORD is good and READY TO FORGIVE; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Him.” Psalm 86:5. Lose not the opportunity of this sorrow, turn not away from Him Who speaketh from heaven. “Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart.” Hebrews 3:15. “Seek ye the LORD while He may be found.” Isaiah 55:6. Seek Him at once. Let nothing tempt you to delay; you have already delayed too long: you never will have a more favorable opportunity than the present. The door of mercy is now wide open. The new and living way into the holiest is consecrated for you. The Throne of grace is accessible to you. The Father says, “come NOW, and let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18. The Son says, “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. “IF ANY MAN thirst, let him come unto ME and drink.” John 7:37. And the spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come, AND WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17.
James Smith, 1856