Sitting in the comfort of my home on this Saturday Morning I feel distanced from my family in Jacksonville, FL; and that is not only because of the 500 miles of highway in between us. My aunt, my grandmother, and many others will be sitting this morning in the ICU waiting room at Shands Hospital just waiting...and waiting.
That has been the case since Wednesday evening, when uncle Sandy wrecked his motorcycle. Nothing much has changed, there appears to be no hope, and his family is experiencing unspeakable pain. Right now they are thinking about life without their husband, father, and son. My heart breaks this morning as I think about uncle Sandy lying in the hospital on complete life support. My heart breaks even more when I think about the hurt that is right now upon his wife, mother, and three sons. This was so sudden, so unexpected, so soon.
Times like this bring some to total despair; and there is no doubt as to why. But there is a solid ground to stand on, and that of course is the Word of God. Crossing my mind this morning as I meditated on this tragedy were twelve ways God's Word sustains us in the midst of terrible times like this. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.
1. God is absolutely sovereign.
This may seem to some that it would hurt more than help to know that God is in complete control. After all, could he not have stopped the motorcycle accident from happening at all? Of course He could have, but He didn't This God is in absolute control over all things; over history, over weather, over terrorist attacks, over Virginia Techs, over sin, and yes even over motorcycles accidents.
The Word of God tells us that God has declared the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-11), that not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from Him (Matt 10:29), and that He is the one who kills and makes alive (Deut. 32:29). Job declared that the Lord had given and that the Lord had taken away (Job 1:21).
Knowing this, our knees should bow to His sovereignty and we should submit to the One Who is all wise in His dealings with men. May we never shake our fist at God or hold Him accountable in our minds, for He is God and we are not.
2. God is the only source of physical life.
Our hope, no doubt, is that uncle Sandy would walk out of the hospital. That hope seems completely unrealistic. If taken off life support, it is believed that he would expire in less than 48 hours. There seems to be nothing that we can do.
This reminds me again that God is the only source of life. He is the only One Who kills and makes alive. He is the Giver and source of all life and apart from Him there is none. He could speak and uncle Sandy would arise and walk. Our hope is not in the doctors, though we are thankful for them. Our hope is not in technology, though we are thankful for it as well. Our hope is in God who holds all life in His hands. Our hope is in the one who says to life, "It is time to begin" and "It is time to end."
3. A miracle may not lead to faith in Christ.
We know that God can raise us uncle Sandy, or anyone else He pleases to. My thoughts automatically are that this would unquestionably be an act of God. If God heals Him, God gets the glory and perhaps someone would see this and come to faith in Christ. How could they not?
"If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead" (Luke 16:31).
Many saw Jesus heal, feed multitudes, and raise the dead but failed to believe. If someone will not come to faith in Christ by the hearing of the Word of God (Romans 10:17) then they would not believe even if God were to bring someone back from the dead to tell them. God may be glorified in raising uncle Sandy up, and He may not. Not our will, Father, but yours be done.
4. God is the only source of spiritual life.
As my mind goes from North Carolina to Jacksonville and I imagine uncle Sandy with no ability to sustain his own life or raise himself up, I am reminded of my spiritual condition outside of Christ. We are all spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). We have no spiritual life and we are completely helpless and hopeless unless God would be pleased to impart this life to us through the new birth.
I receive confidence when I think of my family and friends who remain unconverted and I remember that I am praying to the God who raised me from my spiritual deadness knowing that He can do the same for them. Our hope is not in the craftiness or wisdom of man, but it is in the power of Almighty God.
5. God is at work in every situation, whether good or bad.
Not only is God in absolute control, He is working out His own counsel through the lives and events of men. We know that He works all things according to the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11). God is not randomly causing events to happen or not to happen, but all things are working according to His will, for His purpose, and for His glory.
He is also causing all things to work for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. Every single thing, whether good or bad, that comes into a believer's life is for their good. We do not understand how these things work together, but God does. God is working all things for our ultimate good, therefore every thing, whether blessing or tragedy, is necessary to accomplish this purpose.
6. God is near to those who have a broken heart.
We read this in Psalm 34:18. We see numerous times in the New Testament how Jesus had compassion on those who were hurting. Jesus Himself wept at the grave of Lazarus. Jesus lived and suffered as a man so that we have a high priest who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, that is, He can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15). Oh, let us turn to Him!
7. God cares for us.
Peter tells us to cast all of our cares upon Him because He cares for us (I Peter 5:7). What a comfort to know that the Sovereign of the universe invites us to give Him our cares and anxieties because He cares for us. Let us pour our cares on Him.
8. Nothing can separate us from God's love.
On the great list in Romans chapter eight of what cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ, the first thing we read is...death. In case we are doubting God's love for us in the tragic times, Paul tells us that nothing, not even the end of our life or the wrath of man can separate us from the love of God toward us. We are loved regardless.
9. We have the promise of the Holy Spirit.
We have a comforter, a helper. God has given His own the Holy Spirit to indwell us. He reminds us of the Word of God and we are given peace (John 14:26-27) to comfort our hearts.
10. We have the promise of a future resurrection.
Jesus died. Jesus rose from the dead. All of those who are in Christ are also guaranteed a future resurrection. Christ is said to be the firstfruits of the resurrection.
At harvest time the Israelites were required to bring God an offering from the first part of their crop. This was to show a picture of what was to come and declare that the entire harvest belonged to God. Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection. His resurrection declares that all in Him belong to God and His resurrection guarantees that theirs will be like His as well.
11. We who are living are given another breath of opportunity.
What are we to say to those who have fallen in tragedy, whether a motorcycle accident or a terrorist attack or a natural disaster? Did this happen to them because they were worse sinners than others? Some came to Jesus with a question like this one. His response? "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3, 5).
It rains on the just and the unjust. Believers and unbelievers face tragic times. We shouldn't automatically assume that they faced this because they were worse sinners than others; we are all sinners. We should however, realize that we have been given another breath that they haven't, and realizing our own sinfulness we should use that breath that God has mercifully given us to repent.
12 God brings good
out of evil.The Scriptures testify that throughout history God has taken what Satan and man has meant for evil and used it for good. God isn't any less glorious because He ordained that evil be; it works to bring about His eternal good purpose. What Joseph's brothers meant for evil in sending him to Egypt God meant for good to raise him up to provide in the time of famine, to keep many alive. What men meant for evil in murdering the sinless Son of God, God meant for good to provide the world with salvation from His wrath. God used evil to bring about good and He does so today whether it is the evil of calamity or rebellion.
May we all place our hope in the midst of suffering on the foundation of God's absolute sovereignty in the world and in our lives.
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