Letters: Mrs. Grant his sister-in-law, on the death of her husband, the Rev. Wm. Grant of Cavers (1) - Andrew Bonar

ON THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND, THE REV. WM. GRANT OF CAVERS.
COLLACE, Oct. 18th, 1853.
MY DEAR JEANIE,
—

The heart knoweth its own bitterness.’ You have felt this and have experienced how powerless are words, however well-meant and kind, to relieve such affliction as yours. It is only the Lord that can so speak to the heart as to comfort. Do you know (look at the margin) that such expressions as ‘Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem’ are ‘speak to the heart of Jerusalem,’ and who can do this but the Lord? One thing you will feel tempted to—not perhaps to think hard thoughts of the Lord, but to think so often of the trial as to overlook in part the design of it as to your personal feelings toward Jesus as a Saviour. When the Lord makes your portion of earth assume so wintry an aspect, it is in order to make you see the eternal summer sunshine in the heavenly places in Christ. Have you felt it profitable to go, not as a sorrowful one, not as one needing the Widow’s Judge, but as a sinful one, a corrupt one, one whom God needs to try, one whose sin exposes her to chastisement, to go thus to the blood and righteousness of Jesus? Clothe yourself in His obedience, rest yourself on His satisfying death. There was no fault, no defect, in His obedience under suffering. That, then, is your covering, imputed to you, and under that robe look up to Him and ask Him to visit you with the consolations He felt as man when His reputed father Joseph died, when His much-loved friend the Baptist was removed—when He thought on bereaved Martha and Mary.—Believe me, dear Jeanie, your affectionate brother,

ANDREW A. BONAR.