“Really, Lynne?  THIS is your title?  Are you just trying to catch everyone’s attention?”  Or so, you might wonder!

I didn’t come to this topic quickly or easily.  And to be clear, there is still much sadness and grieving and heartache in my days.  But as with all trials, there is growth, there are lessons, there is greater understanding, there is character development, and yes, there is the underlying gift.

Last week’s post talked about some of the ways our trials produce healthy fruit in us, either through that trial or on the other side of the tunnel.  And I have experienced at least a portion of every one of the benefits I listed there.

While these two posts are connected, that wasn’t my original plan.  I found a little slip of paper on the end table where I do all my reading, lost temporarily in the mess of books there.  On it were written the words, “The Gift of Widowhood.”  I vaguely remember writing that down a while back when the topic popped into my head.  “Dear God, don’t let me become that old woman who has little scraps of paper scattered all over her house!!”

But here it was, and I thought I should probably pay some attention to it.  Only when I re-read last week’s post did I realize how nicely connected the two were.  What a “coincidence!”

But, I want to get a bit more specific here and also share some new insights God has given me. Though very few of you may be widows, I pray there is a lesson here for all of us.

After Dale died, I heard several widows talk about how God was now their husband.  And there is this scripture text from Isaiah 54:4-5:

Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.

While this text isn’t necessarily directed at widows, but at God’s Church in general, the application for my life was there.

But honestly, I could NOT get my head around it.  I did see God as many things, but not as my husband.  Ideally, I’d like to have Dale back, thank you very much.

One night as I was trying to fall asleep, I landed on this conundrum.  If other godly women felt like this, and more importantly, if God’s Word illustrated it, then I’d better get on board.  So, right then and there, I asked God to open my eyes to the application of this Truth.

Here is what came to my mind almost immediately. 

• God is my protector. Father of the fatherless, and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation (Psalm 68:5).

• God loves me like no other. I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).

• God will never leave me. He will not leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).

• God is faithful. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one (2 Thess 3:3).

• God knows everything about me. O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up;    you discern my thoughts from afar (Psalm 139:1-2).

• He never changes. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

• He gave His life for me. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Oh my goodness!  Isn’t that what we all want in a husband?  Isn’t this what godly husbands aspire to?  Even though I knew about all these characteristics of God, and had experienced and appreciated them, for the first time, I now saw them through the lens of “husband.”

Yes, God does every one of these, and many more, PERFECTLY!  Dale wasn’t the perfect husband; I wasn’t the perfect wife.  We struggled through the sin that the Fall inflicted on us all.  But I can have zero doubts about God’s ability to completely fulfill every promise He’s made to me.

Yes, God has an extra -tender heart towards widows.  But, these promises are true for single, divorced and married women as well.  Even if you have a wonderful, godly husband, he can’t be everything you need 100% of the time.  But God can.

Every one of those promises I listed has taken on a new, deeper, more relevant meaning for me during this season of widowhood.  What else could I call that except a GIFT?

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9