by Al Lacy
Tharyn went slack, as though her bones had turned to water. Her cheeks turned pale.
Hastening to get it over with, Scott said, “I asked Rachel to marry me, and she accepted my proposal.”
Tharyn’s heart felt crushed. It was all she could do to keep from bursting into sobs.
Scott leaned toward her. “Tharyn, I’m sorry for leading you on all this time, but I didn’t know my own heart until I made this trip, and Rachel and I came to the realization that we were in love. I—I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I can’t go on pretending. This wouldn’t be right before the Lord. And just as the Lord had planned for Rachel and me to be husband and wife, He also has a fine Christian young man that He has chosen for you to marry.”
Tharyn was now looking at the floor, blinking at the tears that were filling her eyes.
Scott inched closer to her. “Certainly you want to have the man God has picked out for you.”
Tharyn drew a shuddering breath. She felt numb all over and her throat was constricted. She could only stare at him blankly through her tears.
Scott sighed. “The reason I had to be this late getting here was that I first had to go to the bank and resign my position as of right now. I already have a good job lined up in a Pueblo bank, and I’m leaving for Pueblo on the 7:45 train in the morning. The—the second place I had to go was to the parsonage. I wanted to tell Pastor Blandford that I was leaving Denver and why.”
Tharyn’s mind went to an orphan boy she met on the streets of New York named Russell Mims. While she lived in the colony of orphans in an alley off Broadway, Russell had always shown her kindness and affection. After Dane Weston had been arrested and put in prison, Russell told Tharyn that though he was two years older than she, he knew he was in love with her and wanted to marry her one day.
Russell was on the same orphan train as Tharyn, and when she was chosen by the Tabors in Denver, Russell told her that wherever he ended up farther down the line, he would write to her and keep in touch because he loved her and still wanted to marry her when they were both old enough for marriage.
Russell was chosen by foster parents in San Francisco, and after he and Tharyn had exchanged a couple of letters, he wrote and told her that he had fallen in love with a girl in his church in San Francisco and they planned one day to marry.
Tharyn never heard from Russell again.
This surprise had hurt her, but not nearly as much as Scott had just hurt her.
Still struggling to keep her composure, she found her voice, though it was strained and weak. “Scott, I hope it works out for you.” As she spoke, she rose from the chair and said levelly, “Good-bye.”
With that, she hurried from the room. Just as she reached the hall, she burst into sobs and let out a loud wail as she rushed up the stairs. She reached the second floor of the house and was still wailing as she darted down the hall toward her bedroom.
In the kitchen, the Tabors heard Tharyn’s shrill wail and rushed up the hall toward the front of the house. They found Scott in the foyer, heading for the front door, his features pinched.
“Scott,” said David, “what happened?”
As Kitty looked toward the stairs that led up to the second floor, Scott said, “Tharyn went up to her room. She’ll tell you about it.”
While they looked at him dumbfounded, Scott rushed out the door and closed it gently behind him.
David and Kitty moved up the stairs and entered Tharyn’s room without knocking.
Tharyn was on her bed, sobbing as if her heart would shatter in her chest at any moment. They both sat down on the same side of the bed and gathered her into their arms.
Before either of the parents could ask a question, they heard a loud knock downstairs at the front door.
Leaving Kitty holding the sobbing Tharyn in her arms, David said, “I’ll get it.”
When David reached the bottom of the stairs and opened the door, to his surprise, he found Pastor Blandford and his wife standing on the porch.
David Tabor smiled at Pastor Nathan Blandford and his wife, Nellie. “Well, good evening! Please come in.”
As the Blandfords stepped inside, the pastor said, “David, I can tell you are surprised to see us on your doorstep at this time of night. It has to do with Scott Hubbard having just been here. We know Tharyn has to be very upset, and we’re here to try to be of comfort to her.”
“Well, Pastor,” said David, “Kitty and I were just trying to find out from Tharyn what happened when you knocked on the door. Kitty is up in Tharyn’s room with her. We were in the kitchen because Scott asked us to let him have a private talk with Tharyn in the parlor. The next thing we know we hear Tharyn wailing and sobbing while running up the stairs. When we came out of the kitchen, Scott was about to go out our front door. He told us Tharyn would explain what happened. Come into the parlor and sit down. I’ll go upstairs and bring Tharyn and Kitty down.”
David hurried out of the parlor. When he entered Tharyn’s room, Kitty was still holding the weeping Tharyn in her arms.
David said to Kitty, “Did she tell you what happened between her and Scott?”
Kitty shook her head and looked at her daughter.
Tharyn sniffed and drew a shuddering breath. “No, Papa. I was waiting for you to come back so I could tell you and Mama at the same time.”
“Who was at the door?” queried Kitty.
“Pastor Blandford and Nellie. They seem to know all about this Scott thing and came to try to be a comfort to Tharyn. They’re waiting in the parlor.”
Tharyn wiped tears from her face. “It was sweet of them to come. I understand why they already know about Scott leaving. Let’s go down and talk to them. Then both of you can get the whole story at the same time.”
Moments later, the Tabors and their daughter entered the parlor. Tharyn’s eyes were red and swollen from weeping.
Nellie rushed to Tharyn and put her arms around her. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry you’re hurting.”
Tharyn clung to her without comment.
Pastor Blandford laid a hand on Tharyn’s shoulder.
“We came because we love you, Tharyn, and want to help you in this time of heartache.”
Kitty said, “Tharyn was waiting till her papa came back to tell us together what happened, Pastor. So we still don’t know.”
“Let’s sit down,” said the pastor. “I’ll tell you what Nellie and I know, then Tharyn can take it from there.”
“The rest of you get seated,” said Kitty. “Excuse me for a moment. I think we could all use a strong cup of tea. The stove is still hot. I’ll only be a few minutes.” With that, she hurried out the parlor door.
As she had promised, Kitty was back shortly, carrying a tray that bore a steaming teapot, cups, and saucers. “My grandmother always said that a cup of strong tea never failed to help in any kind of stressful situation.”
Her hands shook slightly as she set the tray down on a small table, poured the tea, and passed it around.
Kitty sat down on the sofa. Tharyn was seated between Kitty and Nellie. David and the pastor sat in chairs, facing them.
The pastor had his Bible in hand. Keeping it on his lap for the moment, he said, “Scott came to the parsonage earlier this evening and told us that he was leaving Denver on the 7:45 train for Pueblo in the morning, and that he wouldn’t be back. He explained that upon this latest visit to Pueblo, he and his old childhood sweetheart got together and realized that they actually had been in love since they were teenagers, and they were sure the Lord had meant them for each other. Her name is Rachel Simmons. Scott asked Rachel to marry him, and she accepted his proposal. They are going to get married soon. Scott expressed to Nellie and me the sorrow he felt, because this news was going to shock Tharyn and hurt her.”
Blandford set his soft gaze on the broken-hearted young woman. “Nellie and I have been waiting a half block down the street in our buggy, Tharyn. We didn’t want to interfere while Scott was here. When we saw him come out of the hou
se, we waited till he was out of sight, then drove the buggy up to the house and knocked on the door.”
Tharyn wiped at the tears that were filling her eyes. “Pastor and Mrs. Blandford, I very much appreciate your coming to me at this very difficult time. Scott told me that he had been to your house before coming here to let you know he was leaving Denver.”
“Kitty and I appreciate your coming, too,” said David. Kitty nodded. “More than we can tell you.”
The pastor let a smile curve his lips. “Tharyn, I’m sorry for your broken heart, but believe me, it’s for the best. The Lord knew what was going to happen between Scott and Rachel, but He already had other plans for you. He has someone very special for you to marry, and when the time is right, He will bring that special young man into your life.”
Tharyn stared at the pastor blankly, trying to absorb his words and accept what he was saying, but her parents and the Blandfords could see that she was having a hard time with it.
Kitty was about to add her own thoughts to the pastor’s when Tharyn suddenly blurted, “What’s wrong with me?” Her voice was strangled with tears. “This is the second time someone has told me he loved me and wanted to marry me, and then it all blew up in my face!”
Blandford frowned. “The second time, Tharyn?”
She wiped away more tears. “There was a young man who was in the same orphan colony I was in Manhattan, Pastor. His name was Russell Mims. He was two years older than I. He told me he loved me and one day wanted to marry me when we were old enough to get married. He was on the same orphan train as I, but he wasn’t chosen by foster parents till he got to San Francisco. We wrote back and forth for a while, then one day I got a letter from him saying he had met a nice girl there, and was going to marry her.”
The Blandfords exchanged glances.
Tharyn threw her hands to her face. “Do I do something that drives these men into another’s arms?”
Pastor Blandford shook his head. “No, my dear. That’s not it. As I said, God has a plan for your life, and He has a very special young man already reserved for you. I want to show you some things in the Scriptures.”
David left his chair, picked up a Bible from the same table that held the tray, and handed it to Tharyn. “You use this Bible, honey. I’ll run upstairs and get Mama’s and mine.”
While David was upstairs, Nellie took a small Bible from her purse.
David was back quickly. He handed Kitty her Bible, then returned to his chair.
Tharyn looked at her pastor with misty eyes and waited for him to continue.
“First,” said the pastor, “I want us to look at something in Genesis chapter 2. Let’s turn there.”
Each Bible was opened to the designated chapter.
“Now let’s read about God’s creation of the first man, Adam. Verse 7. ‘And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ It goes on to say that God planted a garden eastward in Eden. And He put the man in the garden. Verse 15 tells us that the Lord put the man in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. Now, look at verse eighteen. ‘And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.’ ”
Blandford looked at Tharyn. “See that? God said it is not good that the man should be alone. He was going to give him a mate. He did just that in verses 21 and 22. He made a woman from one of Adam’s ribs. He then brought her unto Adam, and then and there, God performed the first marriage ceremony. Verse 25 says they were now man and wife. Later, in chapter 3 and verse 20, Adam gives her the name Eve.”
Each person was looking at Genesis 3:20 in their Bible.
The pastor said, “Now, Tharyn, look at chapter 2, verse 18 again.”
Tharyn flipped back a page, set her eyes on Genesis 2:18, and nodded.
“Look at what God spoke: ‘It is not good that the man should be alone.’ ”
“Yes.”
“Repeat them to me.”
She looked up at him. “It is not good that the man should be alone.”
Blandford smiled. “That young man that I said the Lord has all picked out for you …”
“Yes, sir?”
“It is not good that he should be alone, so the Lord is going to give him his mate—you! He will bring the two of you together when in His plan for both of your lives, it is that perfect time. And then when the two of you have fallen in love, as you walk with God, He will show you when it is time for you to marry. Understand?”
Tharyn nodded slowly. “It’s beginning to sink in, Pastor.”
“Good. So you see, the Lord had not chosen you to be Russell Mims’s mate nor Scott Hubbard’s mate. He has not yet brought His chosen man to you and let you fall in love. Just think how awful it would have been if you married Mims or Hubbard but missed the one man God had already chosen for you.”
Tharyn licked her lips and nodded again. “That would be awful, wouldn’t it?”
“Absolutely. Your life would be miserable, and whichever man you married outside of God’s will would be as miserable as you. It wouldn’t work. Do you see that?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now I want to ask you something. Later in the book of Genesis, we meet a man named Jacob. Who was Jacob? Do you know?”
“Yes, sir. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and it was Jacob whom God named ‘Israel.’ It was Jacob’s twelve sons who formed the twelve tribes of Israel.”
The pastor smiled. “You are absolutely correct.”
“This girl knows her Bible, Pastor,” spoke up Kitty.
“So it seems.” He set his attention again on Tharyn. “Do you remember how God brought Isaac and Rebekah together?”
Tharyn nodded. “He put it on Abraham’s heart to have his servant Eliezer go to his home country, Mesopotamia, to seek out a wife for Isaac.”
“Correct. God had it in His perfect plan that Eliezer would find Rebekah and take her to Isaac. The two of them would marry and bring Jacob into the world. Now let’s all turn to Genesis chapter 24.”
When everyone had found the page, the pastor said, “To begin with, I’m going to read the first four verses. ‘And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.’ Genesis 15:2 identifies Eliezer as this servant—who was also called the steward of Abraham’s house. So the story goes on how Eliezer went to the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia. It tells how God guided Eliezer to Rebekah, and how both she and her family knew Eliezer was sent from God. Her family encouraged her to go with Eliezer to meet the man God had chosen for her.”
Tharyn nodded. “I remember it clearly, Pastor. In my daily Bible reading, I went through Genesis just last month.”
He smiled. “Now, dear young lady, don’t you suppose that once Rebekah became old enough to marry, that she began wondering who the man was that God had chosen to be her husband?”
“Oh yes. I’m sure this is so.”
“What if Rebekah had married some other man before Eliezer came to take her to Isaac? She would have been out of God’s will and would have married the wrong man.”
Tharyn nodded silently, her eyes showing that she was getting the point.
Blandford smiled. “Tharyn, being in the center of God’s will as Isaac’s wife, Rebekah gave birth to Jacob, the child who grew up to be the man whom God gave the name Israel. Rebekah’s twelve grandsons—Jacob’s sons—were the children of Israel.
“Scripture reveals,” proceeded Blandford, “that Judah was the fourth son of Jacob, and that God sent His only begotten Son to be the Saviour of the world thr
ough the tribe of Judah. If Rebekah had not waited for God to send His chosen husband for her into her life, she would never have been the mother of Jacob, the grandmother of Jacob’s twelve sons, and had the distinction of being an ancestor of Jesus Christ on His earthly side. Do you see that?”
“Yes, Pastor. I see it.”
“All right. God has the right man picked out for you. It obviously wasn’t Russell Mims. And it obviously wasn’t Scott Hubbard. Right?”
A smile tugged at the corners of Tharyn’s mouth. “Yes.”
“Good. So, honey, you cheer up and let the Lord bring you His chosen man for you in His own time.”
The smile spread over her lovely face. “Pastor, your wisdom with the Word of God has been a great help and a wonderful blessing to me. Thank you.”
He grinned. “I’m your pastor, Tharyn. It is my responsibility, privilege, and pleasure to be of help to you.”
She took a deep breath. “Pastor, Scott’s jilting left some wounds that will need to heal, but I will leave my future in my heavenly Father’s hands.” She turned to Nellie, then ran her gaze between the Blandfords. “I want to thank both of you for coming to help me.”
“Let’s pray before Nellie and I leave,” said the pastor.
The five of them joined hands as Pastor Blandford led in prayer, asking God to heal Tharyn’s wounded heart and give her the faith and patience to wait for that man He had chosen to be her husband to come into her life.
That night in her bed, Tharyn wept because of the wounds Scott had left in her heart. She remembered how when she lived in the Manhattan alley it was Dane Weston who was always so kind to her and comforted her when she needed it.
“Lord, You are my great Comforter, and I thank You for that. I know You also understand that we humans need other humans to lean on. I wish I still had Dane to lean on.”
Finding that sleep eluded her, Tharyn left her bed and sat down on the chair by her window. She gazed out at the full moon and the winking stars. Again, she prayed, seeking God’s comfort and consolation. She told the Lord she knew that what Pastor Blandford had shown her in the Scriptures about His will in a believer’s life was true, and she thanked Him for giving the pastor the wisdom he needed to apply it to her life.