It was a tragic story.
I received the news of the sudden passing of a co-worker. He was a supervisor in the one of the hospital laboratories for which I was on staff many years ago. My partners and I were stunned. We immediately recounted our fond memories and shared experiences that endeared him to us and so many others. Inevitably the conversation turned to the question that was on everyone’s mind.
Why did he die?
It is a question that has been asked since the beginning of time. Many people, Christians and non-believers alike, may cry out with this same question, hoping, even pleading, to find an answer and make sense of an unexpected situation. Depending upon the background of the person, the answers may range from, “It was their time.” to “A loving God cannot possibly allow this to happen.” to “He is in a better place.” All of these answers cannot be correct and some are even contradictory to each other.
I certainly do not have all the answers, only God knows and He is under no obligation to reveal His reasons to us as to why He allows a death to happen. In this passage from the prophet Isaiah, God reveals that in some cases, His grace and mercy may be on display for this person’s life. Yet, can we trust God’s judgment?
Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.
Isaiah 57:1-2 (NLT)
We can trust God’s judgment even when it involves the death of a loved one. God demonstrated His willingness to sacrifice His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on Cross for our sins. God sealed His promise to care for us by the blood of His own Son. He raised Jesus Christ from the dead proving that all who confess and repent of their sins and place their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will have salvation and eternal life.
We can claim this promise before we die and if we accept His invitation, when we die, we will immediately be in the presence of God in Heaven. And we will know for sure that our loved ones will truly be in a better place.
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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