February 15, 2016
A Widow’s Choice
Read:
Psalm
34:15-22
The
Lord is close to the brokenhearted. — Psalm 34:18
When a good friend suddenly lost her husband to a heart attack,
we grieved with her. As a counselor, she had comforted many others. Now, after 40
years of marriage, she faced the unwelcome prospect of returning to an empty
house at the end of each day.
In the midst of her grief, our friend leaned on the One who “is
close to the brokenhearted.” As God walked with her through her pain, she told
us she would choose to “wear the label widow proudly,” because she felt it was
the label God had given her.
All grief is personal, and others may grieve differently than
she does. Her response doesn’t diminish her grief or make her home less empty.
Yet it reminds us that even in the midst of our worst sorrows, our sovereign
and loving God can be trusted.
Our heavenly Father suffered a profound separation of His own.
As Jesus hung on the cross He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?” (Matt. 27:46). Yet He endured the pain and separation of crucifixion for
our sins out of love for us!
He understands! And because “the Lord is close to the
brokenhearted” (Ps. 34:18), we find the comfort we need. He is near.
Dear heavenly Father, as we think about the sadness that
comes from the death of a loved one, help us to cling to You and trust Your
love and goodness. Thank You for being close to our broken hearts.
God shares in our sorrow.
INSIGHT:
In the superscription of Psalm 34, a song of
David, we are told that it was written “when he pretended to be insane before
Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.” That event is recorded in 1 Samuel
21:13. In fleeing from Saul, David sought refuge in the city of Gath—the
hometown of the warrior Goliath who David had killed in battle. When the people
of Gath protested David’s presence in their city, he pretended to be insane in
order to escape. It may seem that David escaped by his own cleverness, but he clearly
gives God the credit for his rescue.
Source: Our Daily Bread 2016