Yearly Archives: 2012

Mourning in the Morning

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This morning’s church service starred 25 youngsters who sang a story about the Christmas Star of Bethlehem. They were adorable dressed in Sunday finery that was enhanced with angel wings, sheep bonnets, and shepherd’s- wear.

But before their procession down the aisle to the sanctuary stage, Pastor Kyle took the mic and focused our attention on the 26 people who died in Friday’s elementary school shooting, most of them young children the same ages as those we were about to see perform in church.

Kyle did a masterful job of balancing intense grief with Christmas joy, telling us that God hates evil and knows how each Connecticut family feels, since he witnessed the merciless killing of his own Son. We were reminded that his plans include making all things right, in the end. In other words, we don’t have to grieve without hope that justice will be done. Meanwhile, we’re to turn our conversations and our questions into prayer, which is what we did next.

Twenty-six members of the congregation held 26 pieces of paper on which the names and ages of those slain were written, and during the pastor’s prayer for their families, each name and age was read aloud. Emotional sniffles could be heard amongst us, and thoughts of 26 families planning funerals today brought a mix of nausea and grief.

But Linda, our pianist, soothed us all by adding the comforting music of Braham’s Lullaby to her offertory, reminding us of the eternal, impenetrable safety of God’s arms.

Later, while waiting for lunch at a restaurant table for 17, my brother-in-law Bervin helped put things into perspective in a prayer. He made a request for those 26 heartbroken families by asking God to pull their thoughts toward Him. His important prayer was that the momentous losses of their loved ones would cause them to turn their lives over to the Lord of love and eternal security.

And that’s really the bottom line, not just for those involved in the shootings but for all of us, even the children in our church musical this morning. No matter what happens here on earth, especially in terms of bodily harm, it’s important to look to the condition of our souls, because it’s that part of us that can live forever where morning will never include mourning.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

(Horatio Gates Spafford, 1873)

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope…. We will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13,17)

Journeying Mercy

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Traveling with young children isn’t for the faint of heart. Parents have to plan ahead as much for a road trip with little ones as for the vacation destination itself, and that includes providing something for them to do hour after hour. We might call this journeying mercy, because fussy children can make for miserable miles.

Nate and I took our kids on countless road trips, all crammed into a station wagon. I recall one memorable journey during which we had the back seats folded flat, suitcases spread evenly like giant bricks that raised the floor, and children lying atop the luggage like sausages lined up in a fry pan. It was the only way to fit everyone in. Nowadays we’d be stopped and our children would be taken away as wards of the state.

But we always looked at the road trip as part of the vacation, even if it was 1500 miles long.

That is, unless we had a baby on board.

I remember one trip in particular when one of our toddlers tried to literally chew her way through her car-seat strap in an effort to set herself free, screaming between every chew.

I also recall being desperate to stop one of our 3 month olds from crying, buying her a Dairy Queen cone and feeding it to her in tiny bites, her first food other than breast milk. It worked beautifully, at least for a few miles.

Tonight Linnea, Adam, and their 3 little ones arrived in our driveway after two days on the road, just in time for a pot roast dinner. They were grateful to end their long journey, because little Autumn, 9 months old, had been a traveling challenge all the way. Skylar and Micah, ages 4 and 2, had a general understanding that Grandma Midgee’s house was far, far away and it would take many hours to get there.

But Autumn? She couldn’t understand and lost patience in a hurry, letting everyone know she wasn’t happy with the length of the trip.

She acted much like I sometimes do when traveling with the Lord through days and weeks of time. If I don’t know how much longer the project or trial will last, I cry out to him in a mix of frustration and irritation. “Are we there yet?”

When he says no, it’s, “Waaa! How much longer do I have to endure this!”

But as Adam drove across the country from Florida to Michigan, he had his mind on a clear destination, and each mile brought his family closer to the goal. God has a clear destination in mind for me, too, even though I might not know what it is on any given day. It pleases him if I stop whining and accept the peace he offers as we move along. When I remain calm, trusting he’ll eventually put me down in a place that’s good, he’ll provide journeying mercy, all along the way.

“A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?” (Proverbs 20:24)

Partial Answers

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Tonight after dinner Hans shared an interesting conversation he’d had earlier in the day with his eldest son, Nicholas. While walking home from the local playground, Nicholas had said, “When we die and I grow up again, will we be the same?”

In the mind of a 3 year old, this was a simple question. In Hans’ 30 year old mind, an accurate answer would have been lengthy and laced with scriptural detail far too advanced for such a young chap.

So he did what wise parents do. He simplified his answer and said, “Yes. You’ll still be Nicholas, and I’ll still be Papa.”

Is this how God responds to our questions to him? Logic tells us that when we ask, he has to simplify. After all, he’s above and beyond us in all respects. He knows more, can see farther, understands better, and is the unstoppable force behind all events. He’s a complicated Being!

But there’s more to it than just simplification. Certain of our questions have answers too heavy for us to handle, much like Nicholas wasn’t ready for the full story of heavenly existence. No doubt the “why” questions we voice to God are among those with answers we’re unable to take in. If God gave us the long version, either we wouldn’t believe it or the truth would overwhelm us.

Little Nicholas didn’t need any more detail than Hans gave him. What he did need was a dose of security from his father, because behind his question was a hint of nervousness about not being able to tell who-was-who when he got to heaven. And if he got there and couldn’t find his daddy, that would be a loss too great to bear.

As we adults question God and get frustrated with his simplified or limited answers, we should remember that all we really need from him is a dose of security. We think we want the details behind our “why’s” or other questions, but deep down it’s an affirmation of God’s sovereignty that we’re really craving.

Although he may keep the long answers to himself, he never skimps on letting us know there’s nothing to worry about. Whatever the situation, he reminds us, “I’ve got it well in hand.” It was good enough for Nicholas to know he has nothing to fear about heaven, and it should be good enough for us to believe the same thing about all that concerns us, whether in the afterlife or in the present day.

We’re often discontent with God’s partial answers but should take note of how quickly satisfied Nicholas became with his father’s short answer. That trusting response might be the very reason God says little children sometimes “get it” better than learned adults. We could all take a lesson.

Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” (Matthew 11:25)