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This week I'd like to delay the scheduled Finishing Well devotion in order to join others in grieving the tragedy in Central Texas with the terrible flooding & loss of precious lives this past week. We'll continue next week looking at the roles of major and minor prophets in the Old Testament and their messages. But for now, I think we just need to take a moment. At least I know I do. As Paul tells the Romans in chapter 12, they should be willing to "weep with those who weep & rejoice with those who rejoice". Sometimes the last is much easier than the first. That foundation of emotional response we call "empathy" is what we are called to in being followers of Jesus. Our psychology professor, Tom Ewald, in Bible college years ago described empathy as "YOUR hurt in MY heart". In its genuine form, it's neither codependent or manipulative, but rather simply "coming alongside and bearing one another's burdens". Paul told the Galatians in chapter 6, that when we do that it amounts to us "fulfilling the law of Christ". That's a good thing. But how can we personally grieve and bear those burdens from a distance, especially on behalf of people we don't know? And how can we make sense out of the loss of such precious innocent lives of those young girls who were at a Christian Church camp? That is a whole other thing that we occasionally "attempt", but are not necessarily "called" to do, if that makes sense. According to the example of Job in the Bible, these things are not easily "reconciled cognitively" and most likely never will be, apart from our tearful embrace of the sovereign God who made us in His image. And in the trusting process, He brings "testimony out of tragedy & declaration out of devastation". That is what He CAN do and WILL do for those whose hope & trust remain in Him. But my heart grieves, as I know yours does, for all those who've lost loved ones in this flood. Especially for those families of the young girls at camp. When we entrust our kids to the Lord early on in life like that, we never dream of a tragedy of that nature when we have placed them so carefully and confidently in His hands. The Bible says in Isaiah 57:1–2, "Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die." I know this is a hard verse to hear . There's immediate prophecy involved, but I'm not sure it's limited to just that momentary context. I believe there's a deeper spiritual truth that goes beyond Isaiah's generation. It was a hard verse for me to hear at the sudden loss of my mother when I was 22. And I can't even imagine how to embrace the truth in that verse when a parent loses a child. Isaiah goes out on a limb, like in no other passage I know of in the Bible, and let's us know that it might be that God is protecting people from something worse that could've happened someday in the future. I know. We'd rather that God would leave our loved ones with us so we might have a chance to protect them ourselves from that future evil in someway. And I know that verse doesn't take the pain away that's deep within a broken heart. Nothing can, apart from the "moment by moment love of God" over quite a long period of time of us choosing to trust His wisdom that is "greater than ours", and His ways that are "higher than ours". As Paul was training & mentoring a young Timothy to be a faithful lifelong pastor, he reminded him how important it is for God's people to be people of PRAYER. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, he urges him (and us) to "let petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people". And while Paul goes on to refer to "those in authority" to be lifted up so they might make our world a safe place to live, this prayer request for "all people" always brings to the top of our list, those who have lost such dear people in such tragic ways. So rather than us attempting to "get to the bottom of all of this theologically", may we simply try this week to do "a few things well". #1...May we be FAITHFUL in praying for those hurting & grieving. #2...May we be GRATEFUL for the precious moments we have with our children and grandchildren. #3...And may we be MINDFUL that all of us have, at some point, "gone through or will go through" a devastating loss of a loved one & most likely will be unexpected. And if we can be sensitive to that moment to those around us and perhaps get to know them if given the opportunity, for the purpose of "encouraging their hearts in Christ", then we will be on mission for "bearing one another burdens". May we live as Jesus lived, pray as He prayed, & love as He loved as best we can, so that we might come along side and help one another in finishing well. And may we be there for one another… those we know... and those we don't..... this side heaven! Love you guys, george
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