I am not certain which letters I will post or excerpt here, but I hope todays will be a blessing to you as well as to Pam.
My darling Pam,
As I sat listening to you being filmed for the finale of Dillons’s sermon series on the book of Colossians last night, I couldn’t help but think of the title for today’s letter.
We can pray for sunny days and easier times, in fact I don’t believe there is anything wrong with doing that. I do pray those prayers. Still, we both believe that Providence, (“God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. (WCF 5.1)” ) does ultimately control the trajectory of our lives.
Without getting too deep into the weeds of primary and secondary causes, as well as the theology of both, I am content herein to simply state, Providence does not take us to any place that Grace will not sustain us. However, sometimes finding that grace is ours to seek out.
I know we both find comfort as well as direction from this belief. How can that be?
The overarching theme of your being filmed yesterday was the grace with which you have been suffering. Do those two words even belong in the same sentence?
You stated so succinctly and eloquently last night in your own words that your “chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever. (WSC 1)” You have made it your lifetime goal to do this in living and now it has become your goal in dying. Both have been used to point others to God’s love.
I suggest that this has caused you to look beyond your circumstances of the moment and into 1) the face of your Heavenly Father and 2) eternity for both peace and comfort. I’m sure I don’t speak for myself alone when I say that I love you for that. It also makes me want to be the arms and voice of his comfort to you, your woobie as you have said.
This role has allowed me to play a part in your glorifying God. Make no mistake, my suffering is all vicarious and I am in no way suggesting comes close to rivaling the physical pain that you are experiencing. It may however, allow me to tap into both the emotional pain as well as the comfort of God’s grace in the process. It also allows me (and others around you) to become a part of God’s plan
It is hard and it hurts to see your discomfort and pain. We pray for you unceasingly as a result, but as you draw near to him and as you find the sweet spot of heavenly worship of Him, those around you are comforted as you find comfort.
Thank you for showing us the way. Thank you for demonstrating the grace. Your life is a living picture of grace and worship. I love you all the more for that and I find that it draws me into worship beside you.
Thank you.
All my love,
Brad