| | This week has brought to light many suffering hurting people in my circle of friends and family. Thinking about death, pain, and the effects of sin has a way of stirring our hearts to cry out to the Lord for His return. Questions such as, "How long Lord?" "Why do you not return and set things right?" "What more must we do to hasten your return?" reverberate through my mind as my soul longs to be reunited with my Creator, Savior and King. This story encouraged me today. May you also be encouraged and strengthened in your resolve to remain faithful to Him! The Power of Hope A king was betrothed, and soon after he set forth on a long journey. Days, months and years passed, without any word from him. His intended waited for him sorrowfully but without abandoning hope for his return. The girl's companions then said with pretended compassion and spiteful glee, "Poor girl! It seems your love has forgotten all about you and will never come back." Disconsolate and stung by their jibes, the girl wrapped herself in her grief and wept much when she was alone... She then picked up the last letter the King had sent her, in which he swore that he would ever remain true and faithful to her. Rereading it her heart once more became serene, her spirits lifted and she continued to wait patiently for his return. After many years the King came home. Amazed, he asked his intended, "How was it possible for you to remain faithful to me so long?"
"My King," she answered rejoicing, "I had your letter and I believed in you." And thus too it has been with Israel and the nations of the earth. These say mockingly to the Jews, "Your G-d has abandoned you." Israel, thereupon, yields himself to solitude. Sad and lamenting he reads in the g-dly pages of the Torah the sacred promise of redemption, consoles himself and derives new strength from it. When the day of redemption comes G-d will surely turn His face to the abandoned and will ask, "How could you have remained true to me for so long?" And Israel will answer, "Your commandment was your pledge to me."
-From the Talmud. Translated from an adaptation by Leo Tolstoy. |
| | Posted 11/2/2006 6:32 PM - 55 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
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