Luke 1:46-55 And Mary said, My soul does magnify the Lord,… There once lived in an old brown cottage a solitary woman. She tended her little garden, and knit and spun for her living. She was known everywhere, from village to village, by the name of " Happy Nancy," She had no money, no family, no relatives, and was half-blind, quite lame, and very crooked. There was no comeliness in her, and yet there, in that homely, deformed body, the great God, who loves to bring strength out of weakness, had set His royal seal. "Well, Nancy, singing again?" would the chance visitor say, as he stopped at her door. "O yes, I'm for ever at it." "I wish you'd tell me your secret, Nancy. You are all alone, you work hard, you have nothing very pleasant surrounding you; what is the reason you're so happy?" "Perhaps it's because I haven't got anybody but God," replied the good creature, looking upward. "You see, rich folks like you depend upon their families and their houses; they've got to be thinking about their business, of their wives and children; and then they're always mighty afraid of troubles a-head. I ain't got anything to trouble myself about, you see, 'cause I leave all to the Lord. I think, well, if He can keep this great world in such good order, the sun rolling day after day, and the stars shining night after night, and make my garden things come up the same, season after season, He can certainly take care of such a poor thing as I am; and so you see I leave it all to the Lord, and the Lord takes care of me." "Well, but, Nancy, suppose a frost comes after your fruit-trees are all in blossom and your plants out; suppose" "But I don't suppose — I never can suppose — I don't want to suppose, except that the Lord will do everything right. That's what makes you people unhappy — you're all the time supposing. Now, why can't you wait till the suppose comes, and then make the best of it?" "Ah, Nancy, it's pretty certain you'll get to heaven, while many of us, with all our worldly wisdom, will have to stay out." "There you are — at it again," said Nancy, shaking her head; " always looking out for some black cloud. Why, if I were you, I'd keep the devil at arm's length, instead of taking him right into my heart. He'll do you a desperate sight of mischief." She was right. We do take the demon of care, of distrust, of melancholy foreboding, of ingratitude, right into our heart. We canker every pleasure with gloomy fear of coming ill. We seldom trust that blessings will enter, or hail them when they come. We should be more childlike to our Heavenly Father, believe in His love, learn to confide in His wisdom, and not in our own and, above all, wait till the "suppose" comes, and make the best of it. Depend upon it, earth would seem an Eden if you would follow Happy Nancy's rule, and never give place in your bosom to imaginary evils. (Student's Handbook to Scripture Doctrines.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, |
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