There are no accidents

Yesterday morning (Tuesday - I'm slow posting this) began in a fairly typical manner. Morning 5, chores, first fruits, breakfast, kissing Daddy good-bye (a little extra because he's off to Shepherd's Conference until Friday), school. . .and then a phone call. The type of call that tests my theology and develops my faith.

I wonder if Janine's day started off fairly typical, too, yesterday. Perhaps her husband rose early, heading out for a typical bike ride with his group on a beautiful spring morning in March. Never to come home again. "Mom, we just saw him!", my kids all exclaimed in wonder and shock at the news. "He was just picking up his son from youth group on Thursday night." "We were just talking with them and telling stories after the FC choir concert the other Sunday night." Unbelievable. Incomprehensible. Anguish. Heartache. Sadness. Loss.

Jim is fully alive and enjoying the mysteries we, still entangled in our flesh, long for in Heaven. God called him to Himself and Jim placed his faith and trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ. We rejoice knowing this truth.

But I struggle with the other thoughts that enter and shout "is this God's best?" "Is God good?" "Is God in control?" Accidents. That's what we call what happened yesterday when Jim's life ended, in our minds prematurely, and he went home. Accidents. But the Christian knows there are no accidents. God never loses control. God was not surprised by yesterday's events. In fact, God proclaims in the Psalms that He numbered Jim's days - there is no premature death for the Believer.

I can completely understand why some try to keep the blame off of God in tragedies like this. In our finite minds it makes Him out to be uncaring, mean, unloving - certainly not a good God. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real hope we have in loss and suffering is that it was orchestrated by the hand of a good and loving Father. If these events were merely random and out of His control - that would be a tragedy. No, while I might not understand or see what He is doing - I can trust Him in this and the suffering to come.

We grieve, but not as those without hope.