“…that your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise at the final appearing of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7)
It is seven miles from Country Dairy to Lake Michigan. My father would have had to see around many curves, over hills and past farms, yet he claimed that, on a clear day, he could see the lake from the front porch of our home (present-day Country Dairy).
There’s a wonderful analogy in my father’s claim, for, just as he could “see” the lake despite the curves and hills, my parents’ faith enabled them to see past the cornfields, the cherry orchards, the clothesline and the pasture to a life beyond the material. Just as my father knew the lake would be at the end of the road, my parents knew that, at the end of their earthly pilgrimage, laden with parched fields, blighted cherry crops, diseased cows, rotted potatoes and sick children, heaven awaited them.
“…a continual looking forward to eternity is not a form of escapism or wishful thinking – a leaving of the present world, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. History teaches us that those who did the most for the present world were those who thought most of the next. Aim at heaven and you get the world thrown in; aim at earth and you will get neither.” (C.S. Lewis)
Although my parents set their sights on eternity, they were deeply connected to the earth, digging in the fields and gardens to eke out a living. In their daily chores, reading scripture and prayer, they met their Lord and formed an intimacy with their Creator, seeking to do His will and follow His commands. All the while, God was with them, testing and strengthening their faith.
“Faith is what God asks of us. His invisibility is the test of faith. To know who sees Him, God makes Himself invisible.” (Laura Hillenbrand, "Unbroken")
“Those whose prayers are not answered in the way they would have chosen, those who trust God through hurt and disappointment, reap a heavenly reward. They endure by faith and faith alone. (Billy Graham)
The process of refining gold is an apt analogy for understanding how God allowed trials in my parents’ lives to produce the invaluable quality of faith. Gold refining involves melting the gold-bearing material with lead oxide and a flux. The lead separates the gold from the “slag.” The gold is then melted and cast into desired shapes. The goal is to achieve the highest degree of purity.
The comparisons are striking and obvious:
1. Like gold nuggets found in dirt, Henry and Ellen’s lives were connected to the earth and the soil; nuggets are scarce and special, just as God’s children are to Him.
2. Removing impurities from gold dust requires firing. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you…” (I Peter 4:12) Perhaps God is more interested in what is happening in us than what’s happening to us.
3. Once melted, gold becomes malleable, allowing it to be formed into desired products. Accepting God’s will and being obedient to His Word shaped and formed my parents into humble, obedient, trusting pilgrims of faith.
4. Once fired, gold achieves ductility – the ability to withstand stress. Suffering only deepened and cemented my parents’ faith.
5. Gold is valuable; however, as scripture reminds us, it is perishable. My parents never knew material wealth; however, they were rich in eternal values.
“Truth, like gold, is obtained not by its growth, but by the washing away and burning from it all that is not gold.” (Tolstoy)
*For information regarding the memoir, "In the Garden," contact Janet at janethasselbring23@gmail.com.
Note: previous articles in the bi-monthly series can be found in the May 30, June 15 and June 27 issues of The Oceana Echo.
