It amazes and encourages me to read or hear of people who turned to God in hard times and not only found Him to be there, but also found Him to be enough. So much so that they were able to write "It is Well with My Soul" while grieving the unexpected death of four daughters, or "To God be the Glory" though a accident had removed sight for life, etc. Martha Snell Nicholson was one of these people and today I just wanted to share something from her life that I discovered a week or so ago and I want to point out that we serve an incredibly gracious and loving God. He uses things, that to us may seem difficult or unfair, to teach us more of Himself, which in turn allows us to live a life void of all except what truly satisfies; Himself.
Martha was a woman who suffered from four incurable diseases. She struggled with pain for more than thirty-five years, an invalid, bound to her bed. Her spirit was so transcendently triumphant through those many weary years that she wrote some of the finest Christian poetry ever written. Below is an example of one of her famous works describing a spiritual lesson she learned in the midst of pain.
- TREASURES -
One by one He took them from me,
All the things I valued most.
Until I was empty-handed;
Every glittering toy was lost.
Then I walked earth's highway grieving,
In my rags and poverty;
'Til I heard His voice inviting:
Lift your empty hands to me.
So I held my hands toward Heaven,
And He filled them with a store
Of His own transcendent riches,
'Til they could contain no more.
Then at last I comprehended
With my stupid mind and dull,
That God COULD not pour out His riches
Into hands already full.
