Reflections

on the bombing at the Boston Marathon and the explosion in West, Texas. . .

People around the world . . . in my country . . . in my backyard . . . are hurting, suffering, grieving today.  As I watched the Boston Marathon Memorial Service and listened to the wise, compassionate ministers offer up their reflections to those who had gathered, I was struck with a thought - what would I say?  what could possibly bring comfort, peace, understanding in such a time?

The words of one of the speakers spoke straight to my heart:  "I don't know why God allowed this to happen, but I do know the character of God."

 What a paradox:
  -Our omnipotent God, Creator of all things, Alpha and Omega  . . . why?. . .why the suffering, the pain, the grief?

  -Our loving Father, sacrificial Lamb, good Shepherd, Redeemer . . . how?  how can we go on? how can we comfort the hurting, the sorrowful?

My questions are as old as time, and just maybe, so are the answers:

Ecc. 8:17  "I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun.  However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out.  Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out."
Job 19:7  "I cry out, 'Violence!' but I am not answered; I call for help, but there is no justice."
Lamentations 2:11  "My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns."

2 Chronicles 20:12  "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
Psalm 31:14-15  "But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'  My times are in your hand."
Psalm 73:16-17  "When I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God."
John 16:33  "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world, you will have tribulation.  But take heart, I have overcome the world."

We're like little children in the presence of our loving and merciful Father, incapable of understanding the evil and violence that fills our world.  Joni Eareckson Tada says, "Answers, no matter how good they are, cannot be the coup de grace."

And, so, we are told to weep with those who weep, let laughter be turned to mourning . .  cry out boldly with our questions, anguish, heartache.   And, be the hands, feet, and heart of our loving Lord.

Isn't It Okay??

I really do love the book of Job.  In chapter 4, we find the 'friend', Eliphaz, advising Job with the following words:

   "In the past, you've encouraged many a troubled soul to trust in God. . . . your words have strengthened the fallen, you steadied those who wavered.  But now, when trouble strikes, you faint and are broken.  Does your reverence for God give you no confidence?"

Reading these words, I realize that I don't need a friend like Eliphaz to say them to me . . .  I say them to myself:     a Christian . . .  faith in the Almighty God . . . all things work together . . . rejoice always . . . only believe . . .  joy in the morning . . . have faith and pray . . . But when trouble strikes, I'm terrified and broken!  Where is my faith, the confidence that comes from my reverence for God?

Sometimes a great fear roars up within me that another loss will strike my family. . . and the grief will be devastating.  I recently shared this fear with a small group of hospital chaplains, and one responded with, "but isn't it okay to fall apart at something as horrific as losing a child?"  Wow.  Humbling.  Yes.

So, then, how shall I live?
     Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Matt 5:4
     Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  Romans 12:15
     My eyes are dim with grief.  I call to you, Lord, every day.  Psalm 88:9
     Even in laughter, the heart may ache.  Proverbs 14:13
     In all this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer
                  grief in all kinds of trials. 1 Peter 1:6

Yes, it's okay to grieve.  Maybe, through the grief, we learn.