| Butch and Daddy Are Gone - article by Joel Hempel
Early in the morning, Marcia’s mom awakened her with the shockingly painful news, “Butch and your Daddy are gone!” Returning home from a fun night of bowling on Highway 40 near Wentzville, just over the crest of a hill, a drunk truck driver decided to turn around his semi in the middle of the highway. Marcia’s older brother and father didn’t have a chance. They were killed instantly upon impact. Marcia was thirteen years old at the time. For the rest of her young life, she was raised by a strong and loving mother. As a result of this senseless vehicular homicide, and the subsequent care she received from her mom, attentive aunts, and her church, Marcia became a strong, loving, can-do, compassionate woman of God - but at a terrible price. Many of us have similar – though possibly not as dramatic – stories of suffering and survival. When something terrible happens to us or a loved one, or when one is burdened with chronic suffering, it is hard to make sense of it. Why does God permit it? We can wonder if God cares, or worse yet, we might think he has lost control of the world he created. Suffering is a life experience that promises to be with us till the end of time. Like Job, we wonder why we must go through it. What’s the point of it all? Philip Yancey, one of my favorite authors, wrote a book, Where is God When It Hurts? Yancy contends that “Why?” is not what God wants to hear from us. To prove his point, he directs us to Job 38-41, God’s four-chapter fiery answer to Job’s complaining: Who are you to question me? You cannot begin to understand my wisdom! “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth” (Job 38:4)? It’s not that Why? is a bad question to ask God. It’s just that there will not be much healing until we work through the why and come to renew our trust in God who loves us, who is hurting with us, and who promises to grant a future that will be rich in his good gifts (Romans 5:3-5, 8:28). However, I confess I have never rejoiced in my suffering - though our Epistle lesson from Sunday indicated I should expect that outgrowth. But I have – in time – rejoiced because of the suffering I experienced. The Spirit of Christ works within suffering to bring about good - though none of us, while in the throes of suffering, would have chosen the pain. But trusting God in the face of devastating loss and crushed dreams is unnatural. It takes courage and strength from ABOVE to believe God has you, your loss, and the pain in his hands. Like Job, we may have to contend with God’s Spirit before we can settle back into his understanding mercy. But he will be waiting patiently for us to let him hold us and love us and grant us blessings beyond our imagination. | 
