tragedy strikes
Tragedy struck at the office at the bank today. Jerry Vance, who is my parnter...his first grandson died at birth last night. No warnings, no nothing. Just complications is all we know at this time.
Although he is not a religous man, I am still going to spend some time in prayer for both him and his family. And I'll tell him also. We don't have the closest of relationships, but I think this is a good opportunity to build a bit of a bridge.
Many thoughts come out at a time like this. The first is the realization that this is perhaps the greatest tragedy that can befall a person, to have their child die. It's not supposed to happen that way. I think of Brian Morgan (pastor at Peninsula Bible Church) whose first two children died within a couple of days of birth because of an enzyme deficiency. He has been able to use these twin tragedies to greatly encourage others, and it has deepened and widened his faith as well. It gives him compassion for others who are hurting, no matter the reason why.
What does such a tragedy do to the human heart? Does it drive them towards God or away from God? Some of each, I suppose. I don't believe in the slightest that God would cause such a thing to happen, but I do believe He can and does use the aftermath of such tragedies to bring people into relationship with Him. For some people, such a tragedy may cause them to quesion the goodness of God and whether He really cares or not. How could God let this happen is perhaps a natural question that occurs. But there are others who seek refuge in God, knowing that He does indeed love and care for them. For God also lost a Son. He knows the pain also. God is indeed close to the brokenehearted, as the Psalmist says.
As a pastor, how would I deal with this? It will occur at some time, no doubt, and I will have to look at the faces of fathers and mothers who will wonder what God can do for them. It's a matter of being there, and in a sense representing God to them. Be a listener. Not a talker (often the tendency of many pastors). I'm often a better talker than I am a listener.
Although he is not a religous man, I am still going to spend some time in prayer for both him and his family. And I'll tell him also. We don't have the closest of relationships, but I think this is a good opportunity to build a bit of a bridge.
Many thoughts come out at a time like this. The first is the realization that this is perhaps the greatest tragedy that can befall a person, to have their child die. It's not supposed to happen that way. I think of Brian Morgan (pastor at Peninsula Bible Church) whose first two children died within a couple of days of birth because of an enzyme deficiency. He has been able to use these twin tragedies to greatly encourage others, and it has deepened and widened his faith as well. It gives him compassion for others who are hurting, no matter the reason why.
What does such a tragedy do to the human heart? Does it drive them towards God or away from God? Some of each, I suppose. I don't believe in the slightest that God would cause such a thing to happen, but I do believe He can and does use the aftermath of such tragedies to bring people into relationship with Him. For some people, such a tragedy may cause them to quesion the goodness of God and whether He really cares or not. How could God let this happen is perhaps a natural question that occurs. But there are others who seek refuge in God, knowing that He does indeed love and care for them. For God also lost a Son. He knows the pain also. God is indeed close to the brokenehearted, as the Psalmist says.
As a pastor, how would I deal with this? It will occur at some time, no doubt, and I will have to look at the faces of fathers and mothers who will wonder what God can do for them. It's a matter of being there, and in a sense representing God to them. Be a listener. Not a talker (often the tendency of many pastors). I'm often a better talker than I am a listener.
posted by jeff miller at 5:01 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home