All the whys and wherefores

(Susannah Spurgeon, "A Basket of Summer Fruit")

"The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing
 unto you, because the Lord your God loved you."
     Deuteronomy 23:5

Here, my soul, in this most sweet assurance, you will
find your Lord's one reason for all His dealings with
you—whether tender or severe.

In this earthly pilgrimage, you do meet with so many
experiences and providences that are inexplicable and
mysterious, that you are apt to say, "Why this trial,
Lord?" "Why this affliction?" "Why this disappointment
of all my hopes and plans?"

Blessed be the Name of the Lord for such a full and
amazing answer as is this precious verse—to all the
questions with which a doubting heart or a feeble faith
can vex me! It must needs be that my finite mind fails
to understand the ways of God; but if I can believe
that He loves me—this is faith's sufficiency.

My heart, until you have learned the lesson of perfect
trust—doubts and misgivings are sure to arise, and cloud
your fairest prospects. The darkness looks impenetrable
when you do try to peer into it—the rough places seem
impassable when your weary feet stumble over the big
stones in the pathway—the mountains of difficulty appear
inaccessible when the mists of unbelief veil their true
proportions. Truly, the Lord is a God who hides Himself;
and, oftentimes, His purposes are carried out on our
behalf under cover of the thick clouds, in which He
enwraps Himself.

But what a bright star amidst the darkness, what a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path—are
the blessed words of this Divinely-illuminated text,
"Because the Lord your God loved you!" This verse . . .
  completely solves all doubts,
  wipes away all tears,
  is a remedy for every fear, and
  a refuge from every distress!
No sweeter assurance could fill my trembling heart
with joy, no softer resting-place could be found for
a weary, heavy-laden sinner!

To know, of a surety, that all God's dealings with
me are those of a loving Father towards a dear and
well-beloved child; to be absolutely certain that
every sorrow conceals a blessing, because He has
appointed it; to look upon pain, and trial, and bitter
experiences as the outcome of a love which is so
infinite that I cannot fathom it—this is to live in
"the secret place of the Most High," this is to
"abide under the shadow of the Almighty!"

If we would but meet every affliction, be it small
or great, with a brave confidence in our Father's
mighty love to us, and an unquenchable faith in
His power—our trials would either vanish altogether,
or be transformed into triumphs which would bring
honor to our King!

"My heart melts within me, Lord, when, by Your Holy
Spirit's aid, I can get even a glimpse of that wonderful
love which You have for me—so undeserving and so vile!
It does seem "too good to be true," sometimes, that I,
notwithstanding all my faults and failings, and despite
all my hardness of heart and guilty indifference, should
be the recipient of such free, unmerited favor! Lord,
open my understanding as well as my heart—that my
love may sun itself in Yours, and have a blessed
realization of what Your grace really means to my
poor soul!"

Now, my soul, from this time forth, decide to answer
all the whys and wherefores which perplex your
life, by the simple response, "Because the Lord loved
me!" Can you imagine a condition more blissful—than
that of being so sheltered and surrounded by God's
wondrous love?