Thankful for the love of God, present through all the trials of life

In last week’s devotion, as Hurricane Ian approached Florida, I wrote about “the storms of life.” Then, on Thursday morning my personal devotions hit home. The readings including some reading from the book of Job. Actually Wednesday’s reading was from Job 14 where Job complains, “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. (Job 14:1) Then in Thursday’s reading, from Job 16, he cries out, “My face is red with weeping, deep shadows ring my eyes” (Job 16:16) The book of Job examines the question of why there is evil, why there is pain and suffering in the world. Ultimately, all evil comes from the sin of mankind, including my own rebellion. But, in spite of Job’s suffering, God reveals He has been present for Job all along, even through the trials of life.

The book I am using for personal devotions, in choosing a meditation which reflected Job’s suffering, then shared some thoughts from Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther. C.F.W. Walther (1811-1887) was a pastor and early leader of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, and the first president of this church body. The meditation I read, in response to the reading on Job’s suffering, is a letter of encouragement Walther wrote to his daughter, Magdalene. It seems she was encountering some serious suffering in life. Walther wrote, not so much as a pastor, but as a father.

I share this meditation from my personal devotions with you and ask that you listen to the wisdom of God which Walther shares. Listen to the faith in the letter. Please also listen to the love of a father.

“Do not take is amiss when also you must experience some of the troublesomeness of this life both inwardly and outwardly. This is the lot of all children of God. Since God does not want to damn us with the world but wants us to be saved, He cannot deal with us otherwise. If things always go well with us, we forget God only too easily, and we stop praying diligently and ardently to call on Him. But, if God sends us difficulty from which men cannot rescue us, He thereby compels us to seek refuge in Him. Therefore, do not think: this one or that one has it so much better; why does God let me experience so much unrest, fear and anxiety? Ah, God cannot mean it better for us than when He often leads us into the dear school of the cross! Also, do not forget the innumerable blessings God has given you up to now and still gives you daily. . . . And now, be commended to our faithful God. He, who created you, redeemed you at great cost, sanctified you already in Holy Baptism, who has brought you to the knowledge of His Son, your Savior, who up to now has wonderfully and graciously governed and guided you, will be your God and Father in the future and will take you under the wings of His grace as a hen gathers her chickens under her.” (A letter to his daughter Magdalene, 1873, For All the Saints, Volume IV, page 841)

Perhaps Walther is putting into the words of wisdom which Paul speaks to the churches of Asia minor after Paul has experienced stoning. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” (Acts 14:22) Perhaps this letter from Walther, the letter of an earthly father, lovingly shares the truth of our Heavenly Father found in Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Even in the trials of life God works for good in our lives. Even in the cross of Jesus, God works eternal life.

I have a personal life goal to begin each day in Bible reading, devotions, and prayer. As I have grown to realize that time with God in Scripture and prayer is perhaps the most effective thing I do every day, I have thankfully grown more and more faithful in meeting my goal,. As part of my daily prayers, I pray for my family, for my wife and children and my grandchildren by name. I pray that God will help them through their crosses and trials. I pray that my children and grandchildren may remain active in their relationship with our Lord Jesus. When life hurts them, as life hurts us all, I suffer with them. But even more, I pray they do not drift from the eternal love of our Lord, but that these trials may draw them even closer.

What storms and trials of life are you facing right now? Could God be using them to call you to His Almighty arms? Could God be using your struggles to call you to eternal saving love in Jesus? He is with you even when you suffer.