Last Wednesday night we got the news that one of my husband's best friends from childhood had committed suicide. I never got to meet him, but from stories I heard, he was a great guy, outgoing, a volunteer, competitive, a police officer, friend to many. He took his life because his girlfriend wanted to break up with him. It seems such a horrible waste of life; surely he could have coped some other way? Here we ask "why?!". There's not a good answer, but I will say that there's no problem or depression so deep that God cannot bring you through if you'll only trust Him and draw from his infinite strength and comfort.
Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Isaiah 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is a storm against the wall.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Then on Sunday, we received more bad news. A 7 year old boy at one of our sister churches had died of an illness, and a teenage girl who went to summer camp with our youth group this past summer was hit by a car and killed. I did not know the child, but I was a counselor at camp, and the girl who died was in my group. Sweet girl. So sad. Again we can ask the question "why?'. We don't know, but God does.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
That doesn't mean that we'll understand "why", it means we're to trust Him to do what's best. It's possible that someone may be drawn to God and come to know Christ as a result of these tragedies and the testimonies of the Christian families involved. There is a peace that only God can give, that there is hope for those who know Him to see their loved ones again. While we are sad at the loss, we do not despair. All of these tragedies involved young people: ages 7, 15, and 25. It is a glaring reminder that we are not promised tomorrow. Anything could happen at any time; if it did, are you prepared to meet God? Do you know for sure that you will go to Heaven? You can know.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
1 John 5:10-13 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Time is short. Get it settled. Just believe; God will do the rest.
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