We read in the book of Ruth about Naomi who lost her husband Elimelech and then her two sons Mahlion and Chilion in the space of about ten years. She was left destitute in a foreign country and as this was a patriarchal society. With no means of support life for Naomi was at rock-bottom. Each death was a further blow to her equilibrium; how could she carry on?
But we only need to read through the book to know that with God’s guidance she did come out the other side of the tragedies and lived long enough to become a grandmother and then an honoured member of the community with a link through King David to the Messiah.
I am thinking of a couple in my church who have had blow upon blow to their lives. Each Sunday we gasp as yet another misfortune is revealed. What is God doing? Again there are hardly any words to say, just constant prayer for them. They will come through, they will again know God’s bounty in their lives. As the old hymn says, ‘God is working His purpose out as year succeeds to year.’