Tragedy

Yesterday, the state of Georgia was rocked with the news of five young Georgia Southern students who were killed in a multi-car wreck on I-16.  The five young women were nursing students on the way to a clinical in Savannah.  From the pictures I've seen of them on social media, they were full of life and enthusiasm.  Sometimes you can see it in a smile.  I thought of a few of my dearest friends who have daughters at GSU.  It could have been them.  They're about the same age.  It hits close to home.

Simply, there is not real answer for tragedy.  Shame us when we try to find one.  God did NOT need five more angels.  God's got plenty of angels, and we humans don't become angels anyway.  It wasn't 'their time to go.'  No one has a time.  It wasn't God's will.  My God is not in the business of killing young, vibrant college students.  Everything does NOT happen for a reason.  Sometimes there are no reasons.  Sometimes there is simply tragedy that interrupts life.

We live in a broken world where sin, death, and tragedy are a reality.  There was a plan in which it was not like this.  It was called Eden.  But the brokenness of humanity knocked this world off it's axis, and we've seen heartache and tragedy ever since.  It was not God's original design that we would ever see death.

To believe that God wills our deaths and controls events is a tragic and unfortunate kind of thinking.  It doesn't reveal the true heart of God and the greatest promises of Scripture.  Tragedy simply happens.  Our broken world rears its ugly head sometimes.  Life derails just because it does.  There are no reasons, no greater plan, and no answers.

But there are promises.  God's promise is that He is with us, even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  He comforts us.  He does not and will not abandon us, no matter how bleak it seems.  My hope and prayer for those families of those precious girls is that they would know the abiding presence of God in these days and the days to come.

And there is another promise.  We weren't supposed to taste death, but we did.  The fall of humanity in Genesis carved a path that each of us have followed.  Since the beginning, we have had a death problem.  God fixed that.  That's why Easter matters to us.  Those of us who follow Christ are still in the 'Easter Season' in which we are celebrating Christ's resurrection from the grave.  We believe Jesus defeated death.  And the hope of the Christian is that, in Christ, we will, too.  Not only in eternal life, but in the resurrection to come.  We really believe that.  We believe that God is with us in the valley, and that one day we will rise again, stare death in the face and say, "Where, o death, is your victory; where is your sting?"  

In the face of tragedy, let us not say the trite things that end up being hurtful more than helpful.  There is no reason for these things.  God is as heartbroken as us.  He weeps at our broken world.  He weeps at our death.  But He is with us, and he has been devising a plan to win back His people over death since the beginning.  May those who face tragedy rests in His presence, and may we all hope in His promises.

Forgiveness & Paint

I was in Home Depot last week with my 4 year old.  We were picking out some colors of paint for his big brother's room.  It was kind of slow in there, not like a busy Saturday morning.  There was no one else in the paint section but me.  Two employees were talking behind the paint counter.  It was clear one was some kind of manager, and they were having a spirited conversation about sales and comparisons to other stores in the area.  The manager was coaching up the other one on how to increase sales.  Pretty soon, it got a little salty.  One of the said that "S" word.  You guessed it:  $#!t.  My son didn't hear it as he was in his own world, and I ignored it as I went about choosing colors.

As we approached the counter, their conversation continued (instead of focusing on the customer) and I heard it again.  They finally stopped the conversation and asked if they could help me.  I told them, "Guys, I appreciate that you're having an intense conversation here, but do you think you could watch your language in front of my four year old?"  They apologized.  I'm not really a prude.  My boys hear plenty of language at SEC football games.  It's expected there.  I just don't expect it at Home Depot picking out paint.

I ordered my paint, went to pick out a few other things and came back to pick it up after it was mixed.  The manager pulled me aside and apologized again.  He was very genuine.  I told him it was no problem, I understood and I appreciated it.  He said, "Again, I apologize."  I responded, kind of out of the blue, "You're forgiven."  And he was.  I didn't have time to be mad that afternoon or time to discuss it.  I was over it because my schedule dictated it.  There were more important things to do in the day than judge his mistake or worry more about it.  Right there next to the brushes, I forgave him.  He had done a wrong, and he was officially absolved.

And I thought, "Why do we have time for unforgiveness anyway?"  What if time was part of our forgiveness equation?  Holding grudges takes so much effort, energy and time.  It was so easy to say "You're forgiven" and be done with it.  If I saw him again we'd probably laugh about it.  I've got bigger things to worry about than NOT forgiving him.  And, in the grand scheme of things, that's nothing.  It was a little mistake.

Part of the preparation for Easter is taking time to focus on the crucifixion of Jesus, where forgiveness was on full display.  It proves God's love for us.  Do you know God doesn't have time to NOT forgive you.  He's got so many other big things to worry about, and, frankly, he's got gigantic plans for your life so He'd rather forgive you and be done with it.  In fact, when Jesus died on the cross, he went ahead and took care of it.  Also, your mistake is kind of puny in light of his gigantic grace, so I really wouldn't sweat it.  It's over.  It's done.  It is finished.  You're forgiven.  Be on to bigger and better things.  And be thankful for the cross.