"LORD JESUS, May YOUR Will Be Done."

This is strange food to reason 
(Letters of William Romaine, 1782)

"Behold, I will feed them with 
bitter food." Jeremiah 9:15

My dear friend,
Our LORD has been showing you some 
tokens of HIS singular regard for you. 
All whom HE loves, HE chastens. 
HE has been trying you with HIS rod. 
The trial on HIS part was altogether 
love, and graciously intended for 
your improvement: 

"I will feed them," 
says the Good SHEPHERD, 
"with bitter food." 

This is strange food to reason--
but rendered truly nourishing to faith. 
It learns to feel what sin, 
exceedingly sinful sin, is.

The pain says, 
"Sin deserves ten thousand 
times more than this!"

The pain continues, 
"LORD JESUS, may YOUR will be done--
only let faith and patience have their 
perfect work, that I may love YOU 
for mortifying my corruptions."

The disorder abates, 
"Oh, dear SAVIOR, keep me humble 
and thankful, that I may so cleave 
to YOU with full purpose of heart, 
as to be dying daily to other objects 
and be more alive to YOU. 

As the pain drove me to YOU--
so may the removing of it keep me 
nearer to YOU that I may practically 
learn to set YOU always before me." 

These and many other improvements, 
I hope, followed your recent painful 
visitation. It was sent to yield you 
the peaceable fruits of righteousness; 
yes, a harvest of blessings. May they be 
rich and ripe to the glory of the GIVER!

"For the LORD disciplines the one HE 
loves, and chastises every son whom 
HE receives." Hebrews 12:6 

"No discipline seems pleasant 
at the time, but painful. Later on, 
however, it produces a harvest 
of righteousness and peace for 
those who have been trained by it." 
Hebrews 12:11

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