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Thoughts On Violent Death |
Next Chapter:
Trials and Tribulations |
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 Violent
death is never easy to understand, accept, live with or get used to. It
always strikes when we least expect it. Our lives go along in their
day-to-day routine and then, WHAM, before you can even draw a breath,
something horrible happens. Perhaps it is the unexpected death of someone
you love, maybe your dear pet dies, maybe your job is suddenly not there
anymore. The list of things that can and do happen is endless. How we
live our lives every day with this sword always hanging over us is for
another discussion. (See
Trust or
Worry or Pray)
Some time ago I found this passage in a book by Andrew
Greeley. He is talking about two people who were horribly murdered. Read his
words and take heart...
"There are no good ways to die. Some are worse than
others. Dan and Lena left us in one of the more ugly ways. There is
nothing in our faith that enables us to pretty over either the tragedy or
the senselessness of their death. We think of them as children filled with
bright dreams, as a young man and a young woman of talent and promise, as
dedicated servants of the church, as contestants for new ways of serving
God and their fellow humans, and we ask why they were not given more time.
"To that question I propose no answer other than to say
that it must be tabled till that day we are able to demand an account from
God of how he has arranged our lives and our deaths. His answer will
doubtless be like that of any lover backed into a corner — he loves us and
he will take care of us and wipe away all the tears and make us happy
again and forever. It is a promise that we believe even now through the
dark glass of faith. We cling to this dark glass and assert that tomorrow
will be different, no matter how bad today is. Even when today is the last
day of our life.
"Life and death are inseparable on earth, as the poet
says, for they are twain, yet one. And death is birth."
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Now we see things imperfectly as in a
poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that
I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything
completely, just as God knows me now. (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT) |
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Lord, help me to trust in you when I cannot see beyond
this moment and its horrors. Amen |
| Questions for consideration...
Author's Note: I have not written any questions for this
chapter for two reasons...
- If you are now going through the suffering of the death of someone
close to you, any questions I might ask would seem trivial and trite. You
do not need my questions, you have enough of your own. I pray this small
chapter will bring you a little comfort.
- If you are not now going through such suffering, perhaps you have in
the past or you know someone who has. What questions did you or they ask
at that time? Were those questions ever answered? If so, how? If not, how
are you handling the lack of answers? Today, share your love and your
comfort with someone who is suffering.
May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who
loved us and in his special favor gave us everlasting comfort and good hope,
comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and
say. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NLT)
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