November 10, 1857.
My ever dear friend,
Where are you? On the battlefield, or on the watchtower, or compassed about
with songs of deliverance? You are in daily remembrance, and your precious
child also, though your letters have remained so long unanswered. I cannot
tell you how much they have been enjoyed and prized by myself and others.
While affectionately feeling for your painful position, I cannot but rejoice
at the divine teachings vouchsafed therein. As we are not our own, we have
no right of choice how we shall be led, or by what means instructed. "He
found him in a desolate land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded
him, cared for him, and guarded him as the pupil of His eye." (Deut. 32:10)
We are "kept" by the power of God through faith unto
salvation, and "kept" in most wonderful cases and places; "kept" in the
flood and in the flame; "kept" in the light and in the dark; "kept" in
plenty and in poverty; "kept" in the seven-times-heated furnace and in the
den of lions; and "kept" safely through all; "kept" also when the Divine
Keeper seems to give advantage to our enemies—"You lured us into a trap; You
placed burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went
through fire and water;" but "You brought us out into a wealthy place." Oh!
this is precious leading and keeping, to bring us out from self and
creatures into Christ our wealthy place, for in Him we shall be safe from
fear of evil, shall be satisfied in the days of famine, and shall not be
afraid in the year of drought.
Abiding in Him, all the schemes of our foes shall be
disappointed. Haman may plot and erect a gallows too—but his wicked device
shall fall upon his own head. He shall be constrained to proclaim the honor
of the Lord's servant, and then die by the very means he had prepared for
him. Balak may hire Balaam to curse Israel—but he shall be compelled to
bless them, for there is no enchantment against Jacob, nor divination
against Israel. God has blessed them, and Balaam cannot reverse it. The
blessing will flow through Him, and to them, against Balaam's will; he can
neither share it nor stop it.
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies," or, You make them prepare a table, and then flee away and leave
their plenty for Your starving people. So did the Syrians for Israel, and
the poor outcast lepers were honored to discover it, and get the first of
the feast. When this meat from the eater was brought into the city, then was
unbelief trodden down in the gate, and the Lord alone exalted in that day;
His promise being fulfilled, and His people delivered, when to sense and
reason there seemed no way of escape, (2 Kings 7.)
Oh! my dear, happy is he or she that has the God of Jacob
for their refuge, and whose hope the Lord is. "He is the Rock; His work is
perfect." "Let the inhabitants of the rock sing; let them shout from the top
of the mountains," for there is both protection and supply. "His place of
defense shall be the munitions of rocks; bread shall be given him; his
waters shall be sure;"—sure indeed, for they drink of that spiritual rock
which follows them, which rock is Christ; and "they thirsted not when He led
them through the deserts." Though Amalek came out against them, he could not
prevail. "No weapon formed against you will succeed, and you will refute any
accusation raised against you in court. This is the heritage of the Lord’s
servants, and their righteousness is from Me." "You will keep him in perfect
peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
I do indeed rejoice with you on account of your beloved
daughter, whom the Lord has graciously given you, in a dearer tie than that
of nature; I hope to write her a line or two, though I feel very incompetent
to do so. The Lord has been most gracious to me. He keeps me feeling my
poverty, weakness, and inability; but makes His grace sufficient for me in a
wonderful way, endearing a precious Christ more and more. My heart overflows
with adoring gratitude for such a portion. The Lord is the portion of my
inheritance, and of my cup, and he is a daily portion, as the manna was to
Israel. "Give us this day our daily bread." "I am the bread of life." "He
who eats me, even he shall live by me"—and so feeding on Him, we shall grow
up into Him in all things, and grow out of all besides. "The Lord bless you
and keep you," and make a plain path, because of your enemies.
With tender love, yours ever most affectionately in the
Beloved,
Ruth