My dear, sweet wife and I enjoy the Hallmark Channel series, "When Calls the Heart." The series is somewhat based on the books of Janette Oke and focuses on a school teacher and the community she lives in which is located in the northern Canadian frontier.
I had
read that the tv series deviated quite a bit from Oke's books so I decided to
take a look for myself. I just finished reading the first novel and it
was one of those "can't put it down" kind of books.
Oke is a
wonderful, descriptive writer who transports you into the school teacher,
Elizabeth's life. Elizabeth is sent to the middle of nowhere to teach a
community of children. This "city girl" is determined to adapt
to her new lifestyle. She learns not to fear coyotes or give the mice the
upper hand in her home. Elizabeth also falls in love - with the children
she teaches and a certain Mountie where love is truly at first sight.
One of
the boys Elizabeth teaches is named Andy. He is cheerful and well loved
by his class. But he is sickly and suffers from a brain tumor. The
children and community raise the money needs so that Andy can undergo surgery
but the young lad does not survive.
Later,
the community comes together for a Memorial Service for Andy. As they
walk out to the cemetery, Elizabeth is overcome with emotion. And this is
how Oke describes what Elizabeth is feeling:
I
cried then, the great sobs shaking my whole body. I remembered the last
time that I had wept, and how the little boy in my embrace had reached up
awkwardly, and yet tenderly, to brush away my tears. "You did good,
teacher," he had whispered. And now that small boy had passed beyond
- so young to journey on alone. But then I remembered that he hadn't
traveled alone - not one step of the way, for as soon as the loving hands
released him here, another Hand had reached out to gently take him. I
tried to visualize him entering that new Land, the excitement and eagerness
shining forth on his face, the cheers raising from the shrill little
voice. There would be no pain twisting his face now, no need to hold his
head and rock back and forth. Joy and happiness would surround him.
I could almost hear his words as he looked at the glories of heaven and gave
the Father his jubilant ovation - "You did good, God; You did real
good!"
I loved
her reference to Psalm 23:4 and her description of how God makes all things new
for those who enter His kingdom. Andy would no longer struggle or suffer
with his health. Instead, he would have all eternity to marvel at the
goodness of a loving God who keeps His promise that all who believe in Jesus
will not perish but have eternal life. And that is our hope too.
When my former church, Life in Christ, was planted, Pastor Vern Trahms would close with the song, “God is
So Good.” Every week we would sing
verses like, “He forgives sin,” or “He answers prayer,” or “He’s Coming Soon,”
always with the refrain, “He’s so good to me.”
And God’s not done. Martin Luther told his worshippers to imagine
God as being like an ever flowing fountain, never running out of water, always
giving more than you could ever handle.
So, God keeps on forgiving sin and answering prayer and promising that
He will return again make right what sin caused to go so wrong.
So as you prepare for worship this weekend, do an inventory of all God has done and is still doing in your life. And when you're doing you, too, might be moved to pray, "You did good, God. You did real good!"
