Light in the Shadows

But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. Lamentations 3:32, 33.
When my eldest son was sixteen years old, he was stricken down in sickness. [Mrs. White’s personal experience with sorrow is presented here for the encouragement of all who must suffer the loss of dear ones.—Compilers.] His case was considered critical, and he called us to his bedside, and said, “Father, Mother, it will be hard for you to part with your eldest son. If the Lord sees fit to spare my life, for your sake I will be pleased. If it is for my good and His name’s glory for my life to close now, I will say, It is well with my soul. Father, go by yourself, and Mother, go by yourself; and pray. Then you will receive an answer according to the will of my Saviour, whom you love and I love.” He was afraid that if we should bow together, our sympathies would strengthen, and we would ask for that which it would not be best for the Lord to grant…. We received no evidence that our son would recover. He died, putting his full trust in Jesus our Saviour. His death was a great blow to us, but it was a victory even in death; for his life was hid with Christ in God.
Before the death of my eldest boy, my babe was sick unto death. We prayed, and thought that the Lord would spare us our darling; but we closed his eyes in death, and laid him away to rest in Jesus, until the Life-giver shall come to awaken His precious loved ones to a glorious immortality.
Then my husband, the faithful servant of Jesus Christ, who had stood by my side for thirty-six years, was taken from me, and I was left to labor alone. He sleeps in Jesus. I have no tears to shed over his grave. But how I miss him! …
The Lord has often instructed me that many little ones are to be laid away before the time of trouble. We shall see our children again. We shall meet them and know them in the heavenly courts. Put your trust in the Lord, and be not afraid.
The Faith I Live By p. 172
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that God will guide us and our children. Buck
—-Please pray for my sister and a friend, they both are getting surgery this morning. May our Lord God be their Divine Physician. SR
—-Please pray for a young lady that I learned has stage 4 cancer, and her mother doesn’t know. Please pray for her to tell her mother before someone else (or an un-prepared for event) tells her, as well as pray for healing. Anntonette
—-Please keep my sister in Christ and Elder Viola Samuels in prayer. She was just diagnosed with endometrial cancer, she is elderly in her 80’s, please keep her in prayer! Sandra
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Dear Friends,
Last evening as we gathered together for worship with the children, Ron told the story of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Concluding the story, he began to speak of the soon coming of Jesus in the clouds and of the resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Jesus and are awaiting the call of the Life Giver “in the resurrection at the last day.” John 11:24 How precious is this hope Paul also speaks of: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28,29 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thes 4:16,17 “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor 15:51-55