Tobit 8:8-12: a reflection

8She said with him, “Amen.” And they both slept that night. 9Raguel arose, and went and dug a grave, 10saying, “Lest he also should die.” 11And Raguel came into his house, 12and said to Edna his wife, “Send one of the maidservants, and let them see if he is alive. If not, we will bury him, and no man will know it.”

Fearing the worst had happened, Raguel quietly digs a grave in the night; but when he sends to check, the young man is alive, a picture of how God's deliverance can exceed our fearful expectations. Raguel arose, and went and dug a grave, the account says, saying, lest he also should die; and he sent a maidservant to see if he was alive. Raguel had reason to fear; he expected the worst, and quietly prepared for it, digging a grave in the dark of night, saying nothing, ready to bury the young man and hide the tragedy. His fear had already written the ending: death, another loss. But when he sent to check, the young man was alive. God had preserved him; the feared ending had not come. Fear had prepared for a tragedy God did not bring. This shows how God's deliverance can exceed our fearful expectations. God's deliverance can exceed your fearful expectations. Do not let fear write an ending God has not brought. The worst you dread may not be what God has ordained. God may preserve where you had already prepared for loss.

Notice the contrast between Raguel's fear and what God had actually done. Raguel had reason to fear the worst; and so, in the night, quietly, he went out and dug a grave, preparing to bury the young man, so sure was he that tragedy had struck. His fear had already written the ending: death, loss, another grave to dig in secret. He did not wait to see; he prepared for the worst as though it had already happened. But then he sent to check, and found that the young man was alive. God had preserved him; the feared tragedy had not come. All Raguel's fearful preparation had been for an ending God did not bring. This holds a gentle comfort about fear and God's deliverance. We too are prone to fear the worst, to let our fears run ahead and write the ending, to prepare our hearts for the tragedy we dread as though it were certain. But the worst we fear is not always what God has ordained; sometimes, as with Raguel, God has preserved and delivered where we had already prepared for loss. God's actual dealing can exceed our fearful expectations; the ending our fear has written may not be the one God brings. This does not mean nothing hard ever happens; but it reminds us not to let fear settle the ending in advance, as though the worst were certain, for God may deliver where we feared the worst. We do well not to let fear write an ending God has not brought, but to trust that God's deliverance can exceed our fearful expectations. Do not let fear write an ending God has not brought. God's deliverance can exceed your fearful expectations. The worst you dread is not always what God has ordained. Do not prepare your heart for a tragedy God may not bring.

That is worth taking to heart, for God's deliverance can exceed our fearful expectations, and we do well not to let fear write the ending, as Raguel dug a grave but found the young man alive. We can let fear run ahead and prepare for the worst; but Raguel, who had dug a grave in his fear, found God had preserved the young man. Do not settle the ending. When you are tempted to fear the worst and prepare for it as though certain, remember that God's deliverance can exceed your fearful expectations, and do not let fear write an ending he has not brought. Do not let fear write an ending God has not brought, but trust that his deliverance can exceed your fearful expectations, as fearing the worst had happened Raguel quietly dug a grave in the night, but when he sent to check the young man was alive, a picture of how God's deliverance can exceed our fearful expectations, since Raguel dug a grave saying lest he also should die and sent to see if he was alive; for Raguel had reason to fear and expected the worst and quietly prepared for it, digging a grave in the dark and ready to bury the young man and hide the tragedy, his fear having already written the ending of death and loss, but when he sent to check the young man was alive, God having preserved him so that the feared ending had not come and fear had prepared for a tragedy God did not bring, which holds a gentle comfort about fear and God's deliverance, since we too are prone to fear the worst and let our fears run ahead and write the ending and prepare our hearts for the tragedy we dread as though certain, but the worst we fear is not always what God has ordained, and sometimes as with Raguel God has preserved and delivered where we had already prepared for loss, God's actual dealing exceeding our fearful expectations, which does not mean nothing hard ever happens but reminds us not to let fear settle the ending in advance as though the worst were certain, so that we do well not to let fear write an ending God has not brought but to trust that his deliverance can exceed our fearful expectations.

Lord, fearing the worst had happened, Raguel quietly digs a grave in the night; but when he sends to check, the young man is alive, a picture of how your deliverance can exceed our fearful expectations. Raguel arose, and went and dug a grave, the account says, saying, lest he also should die; and he sent a maidservant to see if he was alive. Raguel had reason to fear; he expected the worst, and quietly prepared for it, digging a grave in the dark of night, ready to bury the young man and hide the tragedy. His fear had already written the ending: death, another loss. But when he sent to check, the young man was alive. You had preserved him; the feared ending had not come. Fear had prepared for a tragedy you did not bring. Show me the contrast between Raguel's fear and what you had actually done. He had reason to fear the worst; and so, in the night, he went out and dug a grave, so sure was he that tragedy had struck. His fear had already written the ending. He did not wait to see; he prepared for the worst as though it had already happened. But then he sent to check, and found the young man alive. You had preserved him; the feared tragedy had not come. All his fearful preparation had been for an ending you did not bring. This holds a gentle comfort about fear and your deliverance. I too am prone to fear the worst, to let my fears run ahead and write the ending, to prepare my heart for the tragedy I dread as though it were certain. But the worst I fear is not always what you have ordained; sometimes, as with Raguel, you have preserved and delivered where I had already prepared for loss. Your actual dealing can exceed my fearful expectations. This does not mean nothing hard ever happens; but it reminds me not to let fear settle the ending in advance. Take that to my heart. When I am tempted to fear the worst and prepare for it as though certain, keep me from letting fear write an ending you have not brought; help me trust, Lord, that your deliverance can exceed my fearful expectations, and not prepare my heart for a tragedy you may not bring.