God Speaking

“…I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow”

(Jeremiah 31: 13)

This horrific headline blazed forth from our morning newspaper, informing us of a terrible tragedy that had taken place between a bus load of young hockey players and a truck. The truck had slammed into the bus carrying the players to a hockey game on a country road in Saskatchewan in Canada. The radio confirmed the story with the frightful details that 15 were dead and the others taken to hospital, some with life threatening injuries. The enormity of grasping the grief, sorrow, pain of loved ones hearing this news, was overwhelming.

The big question when bad things like this happens is often,

Why did God let this happen to innocent young people?

I was so amazed and filled with compassion when a few days later the whole little town, where the hockey team came from, gathered together in the town’s hockey arena to join in comforting one another, and as we watched the televised version, we heard the powerful voice of a local minister tackle the big question with love and understanding. This is how he addressed it;

No! We don’t know why bad things happen,

but we know we have a God of all comfort

waiting on the sidelines to wrap his arms around us

and comfort us.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1: 3 – 4)

Of course, there were tears in the audience and without minimizing the sorrow of those who had lost loved ones, every following speaker had the same powerful message of where and who to turn to when hearts have been broken. Even us viewing the television screen felt some of the horror lift as we too began to remember how God repeatedly spoke through his word to remind us of him standing by, always ready to envelope us with his all, encompassing love.

The Psalmists knew who to call upon when terrible things occur in our lives and in lives of others around us and this is the message of Psalm 119

“May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.” (Psalm 119: 76)

One of the powerful messages also heard in that gathering of the town drowning in grief, was to everybody listening. Nobody can struggle through this pain by themselves. Everybody involved needs to be surrounded by loving caring friends who can offer practical help, support, a shoulder to cry on.  When we read what Paul was saying to the Corinthians, we can see that those who have received comfort from God are the best helpers to pass on that comfort to others, sharing his love and compassion with those who are hurting. Then they will be able to hear the Lord say;

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God…” (Isaiah 40: 1)