What I Do Know
Darkness looms heavy over our community. You can feel it like a thick shroud almost suffocating the life out of Gautier.
It’s hard to see or even breathe when deep darkness like this permeates. In these desperate human spaces where the chaos and confusion of tragedy abound, it is only natural you may find yourself wrestling with the hard unanswerable questions.
Questions like “Why?” Why did this happen to three beautiful young ladies, three shining stars of the Gautier community? With so much light and love to give. Such a bright future ahead~ and in an instant it all is snuffed out.
If you look a little deeper and ponder a bit more you may even be asking “Where was God when this happened?” Or another way of saying it is “Why would God allow something like this to happen?”
If you are looking for answers to tormenting questions that plague us…I freely admit I don't have any good answers.
What I do have is a Biblical witness.
And what I do know is the character of God is incorruptible.
I know that God is good, loving, merciful, and trustworthy in all His mysterious, wonder-working ways.
I know that we live in a broken, fallen world, where bad things happen and sometimes these things happen to the best and brightest of us. Yet, God’s character does not shift in the turbulent waves of unexplainable human tragedy.
Even in the midst of great human suffering, I know God is still a good God.
I know God is so good and loves us so much that He chose to leave his rightful place in Heavenly Glory. God chose to step down into our tragedy and mess and was born a helpless baby in a filthy barn to two unwed parents.
Christ’s willingness to limit himself by time and space and human need is evidence that he truly is Emmanuel, a God who is with and for us.
I know that we also have a God that knows what it means to suffer. I know that Jesus was “despised and rejected by men, a man of great sorrows, and familiar with suffering.”
And I know that even in this moment where the crushing darkness will tempt you to believe otherwise, I know “that God is working all things out for the good of those that love him.” Romans 8:28
I know that there’s only one place to turn to when we are “hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2nd Corinthians 4:8
Where do we go in times of trouble? Where do we turn to for hope and help?
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
And I know there is an eternal light that outshines any earthly darkness:
“The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined…
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9
Ultimately, there is a choice we all have to make: Will we continue to trust the maker of the heavens and the earth in all things? Will we choose to believe in the Light of Christ and do our part to push back on the darkness?
And if the answer is “yes, we will trust God in all things” and yes “we will push back on the darkness,” then what does that look like?
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14
A Christian witness looks like loving deeper, forgiving quicker, and not taking a single day of this wild and wonderful precious life for granted.
But, wait, there's more...We don't have a flimsy wish for things to work out, but we have an eternal hope that God will redeem our past, sustain our today, and grant us a secure eternal future.
Our hope is in Christ alone.
And so, I also know this is not a final and forever goodbye to Sedhari and Kyla, but a see you later.
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4
Will you join me in prayer:
God of us all, your love never ends.
When all else fails, you still are God.
We lift up Tatyana to you and ask for your complete healing.
We pray also for one another in our time of need, and for all,
anywhere who mourn with us this day:
To those who doubt, give light.
To those who are weak, strength.
To all who have sinned, mercy.
To all who sorrow, your peace.
Keep true in us the love that binds us.
In all our ways help us to trust you. Amen
I know that we also have a God that knows what it means to suffer. I know that Jesus was “despised and rejected by men, a man of great sorrows, and familiar with suffering.”
Isaiah 53:1
I know that we have a God that knows what it means to grieve and knows what it means to lose a dear friend. The gospel writers tell us that “Jesus wept” at the news of his dear friend Lazarus' death.
Jesus wept. Real tears. Birthed from real human heartache.
I know that even Jesus did not want to go through the hardship of this life and asked for there to be an easier way: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42
I know even Jesus felt the sting of abandonment. Feeling as if his father turned his back on him: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is to say, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46
I know that we have a God that knows what it means to grieve and knows what it means to lose a dear friend. The gospel writers tell us that “Jesus wept” at the news of his dear friend Lazarus' death.
Jesus wept. Real tears. Birthed from real human heartache.
I know that even Jesus did not want to go through the hardship of this life and asked for there to be an easier way: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42
I know even Jesus felt the sting of abandonment. Feeling as if his father turned his back on him: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is to say, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46
I know that when Christ breathed his last breath -- the temple curtain ripped, the heavens shook, the earth quaked -- and it "was finished." Earthly torment was swallowed up in Christ's body and the reign of death had come to an end: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
1st Corinthians 15:55
And I know that even in this moment where the crushing darkness will tempt you to believe otherwise, I know “that God is working all things out for the good of those that love him.” Romans 8:28
I know that moments like this can also trick us into shrinking back into the darkness. Tragedy births the occasion for us to forget we have a God who "binds up the brokenhearted," weeps when we weep, and died to set us free.
A God who loves us deeply and cares for us like a tender shepherd. A God who will "never leave or foresake you."
I know that there’s only one place to turn to when we are “hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2nd Corinthians 4:8
Where do we go in times of trouble? Where do we turn to for hope and help?
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
And I know there is an eternal light that outshines any earthly darkness:
“The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined…
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9
Ultimately, there is a choice we all have to make: Will we continue to trust the maker of the heavens and the earth in all things? Will we choose to believe in the Light of Christ and do our part to push back on the darkness?
And if the answer is “yes, we will trust God in all things” and yes “we will push back on the darkness,” then what does that look like?
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14
A Christian witness looks like loving deeper, forgiving quicker, and not taking a single day of this wild and wonderful precious life for granted.
But, wait, there's more...We don't have a flimsy wish for things to work out, but we have an eternal hope that God will redeem our past, sustain our today, and grant us a secure eternal future.
Our hope is in Christ alone.
And so, I also know this is not a final and forever goodbye to Sedhari and Kyla, but a see you later.
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4
Will you join me in prayer:
God of us all, your love never ends.
When all else fails, you still are God.
We lift up Tatyana to you and ask for your complete healing.
We pray also for one another in our time of need, and for all,
anywhere who mourn with us this day:
To those who doubt, give light.
To those who are weak, strength.
To all who have sinned, mercy.
To all who sorrow, your peace.
Keep true in us the love that binds us.
In all our ways help us to trust you. Amen
*Photo Creds
Photo 1 HANNAH RUHOFF Sun HeraldPhoto 2 PGSD
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