1-21-2017

Good Morning All,

                  Isaiah 55:9: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

    I picked up our granddaughter from her daycare provider yesterday afternoon.  I was in town so it saved everyone else an extra trip.  I might try to avoid it for a few months.  She used “that” word.  I love my granddaughter; I would give her a kidney or whatever without a single thought but I struggle with “that” word.  I didn’t even know she used “that” word yet.  The ride started like every other ride.  I stopped at the daycare provider; a half dozen little bodies come running to see who gets to go home.  My granddaughter saw me and was excited.  We said good bye to everyone and as I put her into her seat; I told her we were going to go to grandma’s house.  She looked at me and batted those big beautiful eyes and said, “gramma’s house, why?”  Well your brother is there.  “Brudder’s there, why?”  We will have supper there.  “Supper there, why?”  Even when I told her I didn’t know why; she asked “why?”  Before we got one mile out of town there must have been two dozen “whys?”

    I do my best to answer but sometimes the statement made isn’t even a “why” question.  You do not want to stop their curiosity; you do not want them to fear asking questions.  It is the start of an inquisitive mind that can lead to a very full and rich life.  Yet sometimes “why” just isn’t a question that can be answered.  Sometimes the “why” is very, very complicated.  Sometimes it is just beyond our ability to explain or their ability to comprehend.  Sometimes “why” has no answer.

    There are many times in life when people ask “why?’  Why did someone so young have to die?  Why does someone in so much pain have to linger on so long?  Why can’t we have children?  Why?  Why?  Why?  There is no end to the “whys” We plead to God “why?” and we never get an answer and the pain continues.

    We get no answer to “why” from God because “why” belongs to God.  God, and God alone, knows the why.  God knows why death comes when it does and why life does or does not appear.  God knows why some suffer and other do not.  God knows why the events that occur.  God knows and he chooses not to reveal to us the “why”.  It might be too painful for us to know, it might be too difficult for us to understand; it may be that we can never begin to comprehend the “whys” of life.  Perhaps, a loving God is sparing us from even more pain.

    Rather than “why” we need to focus on “what”.  What we have is a loving God who died to bring us into his eternal kingdom.  No amount of pain, suffering, sorrow or disappointment can ever pull us out of God’s loving embrace.  The God of steadfast love grieves when you grieve, cries when you cry and brings about the healing balm of his grace and mercy.   It is this healing that he brings to you, through his Word and sacrament and through the promise of our salvation.

Father in heaven, lead me away from the why and guide me to cling to your perfect love.  Keep safe in your loving arms and give me the certainty of your grace.  Be with those who are especially struggling with why.  Give them your peace.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace

Pastor Bret