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When tragedy strikes part 2

I actually got some comments last time, which was cool (thanks Sam and April). As I continue my thoughts on tragedy and God I want to build off of one of the comments left by April. She writes,

Anyway…suffering, as far as I know isnt a part of Gods plan…although all things, IN the END, I believe will bring glory to God.

I think this is an important point. It is essential to add that God knew how to handle sin, suffering and death when it came, and that God allowed it to happen when he granted true freedom to humanity. I would also add that God knew that evil would occur. This is different than suggesting that evil and suffering were an essential part of God’s design or intent for creation. There are good Christian people who think things along those lines, such as John Piper (here’s a recent article where he writes just that). I happen to disagree with them. As I read scripture, such as the Genesis creation accounts, I see glimpses of God’s original intent for creation. I hear God proclaim, “It is good!” and he doesn’t follow that up with, “and it would be even better if there were evil and death!”

With these things in mind I want to examine a verse that seems to be misused at times. Romans 8:28 states,

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Continue reading “When tragedy strikes part 2”

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When tragedy strikes

At my new appointment in Carson City I find myself in a small town that has seen a tremendous share of tragedy in the past 6 months. There have been three deaths of students in the community since the spring, and two deaths of people in their early 30’s in the past couple of weeks.

Tragedy hits not only here, but around the world. There are bad things that happen. There are unfair things that happen. Christians have traditionally had a couple of different ways to address these in terms of faith and God. One way of looking at them is that God is the cause of everything that happens and that nothing happens outside of the will of God. God in some way is the cause behind the tragedy and death. Furthermore, this stream of thought states, we all in some way deserve it because we are sinners who have broken God’s law. So we need to learn from these tragedies because God is teaching us something. There is some reason for the death of a 12 year old that somehow serves God’s purpose. And, even though we don’t see it now, someday we’ll understand how a child dying or a father leaving behind children serves God’s grand plan and brings God glory.

I very strongly disagree with this understanding of God. Continue reading “When tragedy strikes”

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Living the Resurrection

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22

Death has been swallowed up in victory
1 Corinthians 15:54b

This man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.
Acts 2:23-24

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Romans 8:11

These are just a few of the verses taken from the New Testament that speak to what the resurrection was and means. It is the driving force behind New Testament theology and behind what we are to do as the church. The resurrection of Jesus is the supreme sign that God has taken on and defeated the forces of evil and death. It is also the source of the hope that we have not only in this life, but after our death. Paul was very clear in claiming that he believed that by faith in Christ we could hope for and expect God to raise us too from the dead on the last day, not because of our righteousness, but because of Christ’s. Somehow, through faith in Christ, we are saved from death itself. This means that Christians should be celebrating life and giving life. We are a people of life and light.

Continue reading “Living the Resurrection”

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Seasons of our lives

Here’s the newsletter article I did for our church for October.

October 2007

I love autumn. It is my favorite season. I enjoy those wonderful sunny autumn days when the air smells and feels crisp. The sound of marching bands echoes through the land signaling football season. The sights and sounds remind me of elementary school where I played football with friends on Friday nights at the Varsity games, or of pumpkins carved into Jack-O-Lanterns, piles of leaves ready to be burned, apple cider, cool nights for good sleeping, and the beautiful colors of Michigan.

As the fall progresses I am often reminded of the seasons of life. Winter tends to do that to me. I notice the hummingbirds leave and that makes me sad. I vividly remember a beautiful, large spider in Kentucky that made fantastic webs outside our house. I remember after the first hard frost that spider didn’t show up again. As the fall progresses I am reminded that winter is coming, and winter is a time when nature sleeps. Towards the end of Autumn I tend to get more introspective. It gets colder and darker. Continue reading “Seasons of our lives”