Free The Reluctant Bridegroom by Gilbert Morris Page A

shame that people have to have trouble to make them get right with the Lord,” Mary said one day as they got to church at their usual time and saw that all the seats were occupied. They found standing room only, but when the ministers came out to the platform, Rev. Finney was not among them.
    Brother White, the song leader, came to the center of the stage and said, “We must be much in prayer. Brother Finneyis ill.” A murmur of dismay rose, but White put up his hand for silence. “It is time for the church to have faith. Our assistant pastor, Brother Reynolds, has been struck down as well. Tonight, I feel that instead of preaching, we should go to prayer for our pastors and for all others in our fellowship and in this city who are ill.”
    The church prayed fervently, but the next night, there was a somber look on Brother White’s face. “We suffer loss, friends—Brother Reynolds went to be with the Lord early this morning. He died praising God. Now, we must pray for Brother Finney—pray as we never have prayed before for this servant of God!”
    “It was so quick!” Rebekah said in a subdued voice when they got home. “Brother Reynolds was fine day before yesterday—and now he’s gone!” She was dressing Timmy in his nightgown while Mary made his little bed. “I feel so helpless, Mary!”
    “ ‘Our help cometh from the Lord,’ ” Mary quoted in a tired voice. “That’s what the Scripture says, and at times like these all we can do is trust to God and His promises.”
    After Timmy was asleep, the two women sat at the table to read a chapter in the Bible and pray, as they always did. Each night one of them would select a portion, read it, and then they would discuss it briefly before praying. Mary opened her Bible and read Psalm 23, and when she had finished, she closed her eyes and began to pray. There was, Rebekah noticed, a weariness that crept into Mary’s voice, and from time to time she would stop praying and sit there silently. She’s working too hard, Rebekah thought.
    Finally they sat with their heads bowed, praying silently. Tired to the bone, Rebekah was about to rise and go to bed, but a thought came into her mind, not once but several times. She knew it was a verse of Scripture, but she could not place it. Finally she said, “Mary, I keep thinking of something—and I think the Lord may be telling one of us something.”
    “What is it, Rebekah?”
    “Well—it’s a little like a Bible verse, but not quite. It’s like someone was whispering inside me: ‘Don’t be afraid! I am the Almighty God, and my arms are under you. Am I not the helper of the fatherless? I am merciful and gracious, and my mercy is from everlasting to everlasting, and my righteousness is unto my children’s.’ ”
    She stared across the table, her eyes troubled. “I don’t know what it means. Is it from the Bible, Mary?”
    “Some of it is.” Leafing through her worn Bible, she came to a page. “ ‘Thou art the helper of the fatherless.’ That’s Psalm 10:14.” She studied the page and said, “I guess that’s plain enough. My Timmy is fatherless.”
    “And my baby will be too,” Rebekah added quietly. “I think the part about not being afraid is for me. Even though I’ve found Christ, sometimes I get to thinking about how my baby will make it, and fear just rises up in me.”
    Mary reached over and squeezed Rebekah’s arm. “I think the rest of what you said is somewhere in the Psalms too. Let’s see if we can find it.”
    They started searching, and finally Mary said, “Here it is! It’s in Psalm 103—in verses 8 and 17!” While Rebekah found the place, Mary looked at her thoughtfully. “The word of God has come to you, Rebekah! Look what it says in verse 17: ‘But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s.’ ”
    Rebekah read aloud the last phrase: “ . . . and his righteousness unto children’s.” She