As Christians, how do we respond? What happens in our hearts? What happens to our prayers? How do we approach a God who, being omnipotent, held the power in His hand to stop this from ever happening?
“Day and night they never stop saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.’ ” (Revelation 4:8)
It happened after school on Wednesday. The bus was on a gravel road bordering cornfields when it collided with a semi-truck. Both drivers were killed.
“He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.” (Isaiah 40:11)
The bus burst into flames. All passengers on the bus were trapped inside.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:1,2)
Two farmers working in a nearby field saw the flames. They rushed to the scene, pulling several kids from the burning bus. But they couldn’t get them all. Two of the children inside the bus died.
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15:55-57)
I don’t know how the parents of those children were told. I don’t know when the rest of the school heard the news. I don’t know what they told the students. I don’t know how the kids on the bus who survived felt.
“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘. . . The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’ ” (Job 1:21)
How do we live in this tension between the heart-wrenching shocks of reality and the truths of God’s Word? Do we turn a blind eye to one? Do we forget the other? How could a holy, just, loving God possibly let innocent children die? Did He stop being holy for just one second there? In that instant, was He not love? Did His justice falter? Did He blink at the wrong time?
Where is God when a 10-year old girl is trapped in a bus that’s on fire?
“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
Where is God when the child dies?
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:1,2)
Go stand in the throne room of Heaven. Throw yourself at the feet of the King of kings. You will hear a far different story than the one printed in the newspapers. Does it mean answers for all the questions? No. Do we still mourn for the families and friends involved? Yes. But there is a much larger story than the one we hear with our ears and see with our eyes.
“BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.”
