God’s Free Grace Glorified (5)

Dear Mother,” said Mina, “please do not complain; do not complain, else I will rebel against God. The Lord is so good to me, and you and Father take such good care of me.”

Upon a certain day, her father prayed by her bed that the Lord would break through for her and grant light unto her soul.

“Dear Father,” she said, “when you pray for that, you are praying for my speedy death, for I will only receive complete deliverance when death draws near. The Lord had promised me that, and we must not walk ahead of the Lord. You may not do that, and you must follow the Lord. You will see that I will then first receive complete deliverance.”

“Whereupon is your hope grounded, my child?” asked her father.

“Oh, Father, it is difficult for me to speak to you from heart to heart. I can do that better with Mother. You desire that I will be led just as you, but is not the Lord free in leading me? You may not direct the way of the Lord.”

It is the last day of January, 1854. Rev. Middel is standing at the sick bed of his daughter. Things are not going well with her. The poor child suffers a great deal. Suddenly, the young daughter begins to shudder, and she asks, “Father, is that thunder?”

“No,” he said. “I do not hear anything. Why are you shuddering so?”

“It is just as if I heard thunder. When it thunders, I am so afraid that in a moment I will have to enter eternity— and then to be unprepared.”

“My dear child, how is it with the hope you may have? At the nearing of death, have you not been promised complete deliverance?”

“Oh, Father, in such moments because of the fear, I cannot hold on to that. That is only possible when I am calm again, but you will see it, for the Lord has promised it to me.”

The minister is pensive. Is she grounded upon a false hope? “God’s people pray much for you, Mina.”

“Dear Father, it is a comfort that the pious ones pray for me, but that cannot be a ground for eternity. The Lord Himself must help me. He has promised that to me, and I expect it from Him.”

The next day she asks, “Father, do not let any more friends come to see me, for I cannot speak with them because of my weakness. Because of these visits my thoughts are diverted, and I am drawn away from God. No one can help me, not you, not mother. Even though a hundred ministers would come, they cannot help me. This is a matter which only the Lord can do, and it must be solved between the Lord and me.”

She closes her eyes, her lips are moving, and she prays. Her father silently stands next to her bed. Will he now really lose her? When he thinks of that, memories come to the foreground. How often had his child encouraged him. It happened just recently when he was so discouraged. She had been such a support for him. She had thrown her arms around his neck and said, “Come, dear Father, do not be so bowed down. The Lord has always made all things well. He has never failed you nor departed from you. Even now, He will make all things well. Come, let us rather sing of His deeds.” Then she began to sing from Psalm 74 (Psalter 205, verse 8):

O God, Thou art our King of old,

Salvation Thou hast wrought;

In safety through the mighty sea

Our fathers Thou hast brought.

What else could her father do than sing along with her? After they finished singing, she began to relate all of the deeds of the Lord which had been shown unto her father. Then the minister was encouraged. He could again expect help from the Lord. His daughter had been the means used.

Mina lies quietly praying…He shall have to lose her…

(To be continued)

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