Posted in Enoch Roden's Training by Hesba Stretton

But he went on from day to day, doing his wearisome work and saying in his heart, "I am Providence for Lucy and mother." If only he had said,"I am working with God to take care of Lucy and mother," he would never have found the work wearisome, for of all grand, and comforting, and heart-refreshing thoughts in this world, to a Christian, the greatest is the thought that we are co-workers with God. p.103

Pride and arrogance. It is something that hinders him from not only being refreshed in the LORD, but very possibly the very things he is working towards, because he is not giving God any place, but, rather, taking it all upon himself. It makes me sad and fearful when I see people, especially men/providers, taking it all upon themselves, not giving God the place he deserves, by means of gratitude and thanksgiving or even the burden of the work and providing for itself. It is part of the blessing of provision they are missing out on.

Granny's last words

Hebrews 12
 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Enoch, in grief and anxiety, has forgotten the charge his Granny just gave him in some of her last words to him: "when thou'rt a minister, my lad...." He looks upon the poor and miserable as he walks home, allowing the hard sleet to pelt down upon his face and exposed skin is angry with God and "the dark ways of providence". It is not fair that his Granny, whom he loved so very much, should die in a work house all alone with no one who loved her as her family did. I can understand his anger and sorrow as he thought about how Granny loved God and served Him, always reminding them of who He was and his WORD in each situation. It must have been tearing out his heart.

Then there's little Lucy, in the innocence and love in her heart, and the warmth and selflessness of the shadow of the words her father taught her, who sees something so differently in the poor who stand out in the cold and are hungry. She "wishes she could bear the trouble for everybody." and "could take their troubles away and bear them all herself."

I think this soft and humble attitude took Enoch somewhat by surprise as he grumbled back, "But why does God let such things be?". Lucy, in her sweet faith in the LORD and wisdom placed there by her father, replied with such grace, "Oh, it's not God that let them be! If everybody in the world would only help one another, there wouldn't be so many troubles."
How true is that? Even in our own daily struggles at home, which are in no way in comparison to that of the lost and poor, if we would just help each other instead of turning our frustrations into words or anger. I think of when a Little is learning to tie a shoe or one of my children just cannot figure out the math problem. What a profound look on situations where there is something lacking and not to blame God or anyone else, but to just come up alongside the person in need and do something so simple as to help them.

And so Granny dies. And they are left to bear the grief of losing such a dear friend and Grandmother. Poor Enoch. And then, to lose the chance he had to bring Granny home for burial, I think was just the LORD shaping him in the way He had for Enoch. I think it was a blessing that he and Lucy were able to see Granny and say good-bye to her in a gentle, loving and memorable way, and the towns people coming in and doing for Granny what Enoc hand his mother could not, to me, was just God's hands extended. I hope that Enoch will see the LORD and His taking care of Enoch in it.

We'll soon see if Enoch felt the impact of Granny's words, encouraging him to seek the lost and share the message of salvation with them, as she supposed he would...

blessings,
Jacque