ON THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND, THE REV. WM. GRANT OF
CAVERS.
COLLACE, Oct. 18th, 1853.
MY DEAR JEANIE,
— 'The heart knoweth its own
bitterness.' You have felt this and have experienced how powerless are words,
however well-meant and kind, to relieve such affliction as yours. It is only
the Lord that can so speak to the heart as to comfort. Do you know (look at the
margin) that such expressions as 'Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem' are 'speak
to the heart of Jerusalem,' and who can do this but the Lord? One thing
you will feel tempted to—not perhaps to think hard thoughts of the Lord,
but to think so often of the trial as to overlook in part the design of it as
to your personal feelings toward Jesus as a Saviour. When the Lord makes your
portion of earth assume so wintry an aspect, it is in order to make you see the
eternal summer sunshine in the heavenly places in Christ. Have you felt it
profitable to go, not as a sorrowful one, not as one needing the Widow's Judge,
but as a sinful one, a corrupt one, one whom God needs to try, one whose sin
exposes her to chastisement, to go thus to the blood and righteousness of
Jesus? Clothe yourself in His obedience, rest yourself on His satisfying death.
There was no fault, no defect, in His obedience under suffering. That, then, is
your covering, imputed to you, and under that robe look up to Him and ask Him
to visit you with the consolations He felt as man when His reputed father
Joseph died, when His much-loved friend the Baptist was removed—when He
thought on bereaved Martha and Mary.—Believe me, dear Jeanie, your
affectionate brother,
ANDREW A. BONAR.
Transcribed from Reminiscences of Andrew A.Bonar D.D.
first published
LONDON, HODDER AND STOUGHTON,
27 Paternoster
Row
1895
HTML transcription files copyright © 2001-2006.
Jane Newble
6 July 2001