I've spoken often about Samuel Rutherford’s little book The Loveliness of Christ. Like our
Savior, Rutherford was a man of sorrows. He suffered many heartaches and
set-backs in life, including persecution for his faith. His wife died after a
long and painful illness. Except for one daughter, all the children she and Samuel
had died at an early age.
But God used his trials to bless and encourage others.
Rutherford wrote hundreds of letters to people in his church, and The Loveliness of Christ is a collection
of selected quotes. It is one of the most encouraging and Christ-centered works
I’ve ever read. (I recommend you get your own copy: click here).
I picked up the little red book the night after Dionne came
home from the hospital, and read the following. (Because he wrote in the 1600’s, I've added a few footnoted words of explanation).
He cutteth off your love to the creature1, that ye might learn that God only is the right owner of your love, sorrow, loss, sadness, death, or the worst things that are, except sin:2 but Christ knoweth well what to make of them, and can put his own in the crosses common3, that we shall be obliged to affliction, and thank God, who learned us to make our acquaintance with such a rough companion, who can hale us to Christ4.
- The Lord uses suffering to wean us from dependence upon anything else (“the creature”) except Christ.
- God is sovereign, and controls and orders all things. Even the hardest things are under His hand.
- Jesus outfits us with our own crosses, and does so for our good and His glory.
- Suffering, a “rough companion,” hales (draws, pulls) us to Jesus.
Whatever you’re going through is under Christ’s control. The
hands that hold your life and times, suffering and sorrow, have the nail-marks
to prove His love for you. You may not know why,
but you always know Who. And He
is the kindest, wisest, and most powerful Person in the universe.
