This week I have been praying for the Austin family, long-time friends from Long Lake, colleagues in ministry, and former missionary family supported by NWC.  Their son Caleb, a decorated Marine who survived two tours, was tragically killed in a car accident last week while back in the states. (For the news article click here).  Caleb’s father Kevin and grandfather Harold (Bunny) are both ordained ministers in our district.  These things are so hard to explain away, challenging our faith.  Throughout the week my parents and brother have kept me informed about funeral plans in Long Lake as they are actively involved in the church which will host the viewing and funeral.  Our prayers are with the family even if we are finding it difficult to have anything helpful to say.

During the week my wife dragged me to a movie called “Soul Surfer” in which a young Christian girl named Bethany Hamilton with a dream of becoming a professional surfer, loses her arm in a shark attack. In the movie, previous to the attack, a youth pastor had shared a lesson where she showed close up photos of the eye of a fly and a walnut shell.  Up close they were unrecognizable of course and often misidentified.  When looked at from a distance they were much easier to properly identify.  As I contemplated this concept the next day, I heard a preacher on the radio compare this life to another movie called the "Matrix", reminding me that this life is not reality, eternity after this life is.  For now we can only see life up close, where our experiences and emotions cloud our understanding.  Paul put it this way, we only see through a glass darkly in this life (I Cor. 13:12, personal interpretation).   As painful or joyful as this life is, it is only a dress rehearsal, it won’t last. What is real and what we should focus our priorities on is the reality of the afterlife.  Jesus told us to not lay up treasures on earth but in heaven (Matt. 6:20).  He also said to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33).  He was exhorting his followers to see above the cares of this world to one that has no pain or suffering.  Meanwhile while we live today God calls us to be faithful in endurance, rejoicing in hope, and live our lives with a kingdom view.  Bethany Hamilton is an example of someone who has learned to put God first and seek His glory.  God has given her a great opportunity to share her faith in God as she continues to live out her dream as a professional surfer today.  I highly recommend this inspiring film for families to view, whether you are facing pain and disappointment or not.    

I cannot answer every question of why things happen as they do, but I can tell each one I know that God’s plans and view of things are much clearer than ours.  What he has in store for those who love Him is much greater than we can imagine. In the meantime we should seek to glorify our Lord with our lives.

“…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37)