When I heard of his passing, a sick feeling punched me in the gut. He was a young, vibrant, lover of Jesus. Always encouraging, ever hopeful. Word of his death sent a shockwave among many in the church. His story made me question pieces of my own story and faith walk.
Out of desperation, I began to google any bit of information that would make sense of this untimely death. What I found was a comment from one pastor that put into perspective what my heart struggled to articulate.
“At times like this, we must remember that as Christians, we do not live on explanations but promises.”
All our lives will be a series of highs and lows. In some situations, we will be able to wrap our heads around and make some sense. But quite often we will find ourselves being called upon to walk through deep waters, with nothing to cling to but the promises of God.
Who better to remind us of this truth but Abraham? His situation was not one of loss but of birth. His wife was unable to carry a child, yet God called him “father”. In those particular circumstances, I would have demanded an explanation. But not Abraham.
Romans 4:17-25 reveals key insights into this man of faith.
Abraham was first named “father” and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not based on what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do.
Here is a man who knew His Father and trusted Him even when nothing made sense. He didn’t tiptoe around God’s promise asking skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said.
I am challenged by his faith. Far too often I want the 5-year plan, the processes mapped out that will get me from A to B, or at least the answer to my “why” questions.
But not Abraham. He relinquished control and let God take the lead, knowing God is always trustworthy, through the highs and lows.
The beauty is, that as we read his story, we are reminded that his story can also be our story. When we can push aside our need to be all-knowing and trust in the promises of the all-knowing One, our losses then stand as a testimony of hope to the hurting.
My friends, there are some trials we may never know the “why.” So let’s hold tight to what we do know, and remember that we can trust all our unknowns to the One who knows all.
One Response
God is good and what He does is good. Psalm 119. That is a promise I have clung to for the last two years.