All I really feel led to do in this posting is say that Miriam has been to me a treasure much the same way in which our Lord's church has been to Him since He first gave life to it in the first century. What I mean here is what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning the husband's view of his wife, that he ought to
"love his wife, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it." (Ephesians 5:25).The Lord has given us both a wonderful life together, and it is my hope that if it is His purpose and will, He might give us many more years ahead to live for Him. I say this for several reasons, but one stands out above the rest. A year and three months ago, I thought the Lord would take Miriam home. She fell ill, but after she was admitted to the hopital for tests, doctors working with her could not pinpoint any specific aliment. Her heart raced with heavy palpitations, and she had no appetite. She was literally suffering from starvation, as she rapidly lost a great deal of weight. Eventually she pulled out of all this, and returned pretty much to normal. The only thing any of her doctors could determine was that she had an allergic reaction to antibiotics she had taken for a sinus infection.
God showed mercy in that He did not take her from me and our two children. Yes, He could have done so, and He certainly would have been right had He done it. My belief is that all He wanted from me was to admit two things: To confess to Him that she was more His than she was mine, and that I had fallen back from following Him as I should.
All I want to say here is that God will do with His people what is necessary to get our attention. And He will not play second fiddle to anyone, not even to those we love most down here. My hope and prayer is that I will never forget that lesson.
