Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Tragedy. It is a cruel reality of life. Word spread quickly throughout the Archer Community this morning that an Archer student had died tragically in a drowning accident on Saturday. Everyone who heard the news was stunned. It is tragic. It's the only word I can come up with -- tragic.

I thought of two things when I heard the news.

1. There will be some people who will mistakenly say that it was just this young man's time or that God just "needed him more that we did." That's ludicrous. God's not in the business of killing teenage boys. God is not pleased with death. Death breaks His heart. God's will was that we would never die. God's plan was that we humans would live forever. But when Adam and Eve made that first mistake, just what God said would happen happened -- death came. God is not an evil God that kills people or takes people. God's heart breaks with us and for us when we lose a loved one because it is another reminder to Him of how this world took a wrong turn. That's why he sent Jesus. That's why he's in the process of redeeming this world again through Jesus. That's why Jesus offers life. That's why Jesus defeated death. Death wins no more. Jesus is the answer to the problem of death. In Christ, we die no more. We live for Him on this earth and with Him in eternity. And, one day, death will be no more -- because of Jesus.

2. The other thing I thought is how some people will understandably want to blame God for this. Sometimes we live under the illusion that we are immune from tragedy. It's just not so. There are no promises from God that life will be honky dory. There are no promises from God that we will escape tragedy. Just because we put our faith in God doesn't mean that we'll be protected from all that is ugly in the world. But when we blame God, we misunderstand His promises. He never promised that this would be easy. But He does promise to be with us. He promises to walk alongside us. He promises to love us and never leave us. He promises to give us hope in despair and peace in anguish. He promises His presence.

Know that this is not the work of a sinister God taking a young man. And this is not God abandoning us. This is a reminder that we live in a broken world. Know that God is big enough for your questions and gentle enough to dry your tears. But, most of all, know that He is here, amidst the tragedy. Just as the Psalmist wrote thousands of years ago:

"Though I walk through the vally of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil, for you are with me."
Psalm 23:4