Governor of West Virginia comorting a family member
photo from www.foxnews.com

Dealing with Tragedy

The nation prayerfully watched as families waited for news of the thirteen trapped miners in Tallmansville, West Virginia. Then to make matters worse the families received erroneous news that twelve of the thirteen were alive. The celebration was short and only added to the intense grief that followed when the whole truth was revealed that only one had survived and he was critical with one lung collapsed. The past year year was filled with tragedies. It seems that this year has begun already with people having to face tragic disappointment. How can they find hope and faith in the face of all this grief and pain?

Today's reading from the Bible brought me to the book of Job. If anyone had ever faced tragedy, Job certainly did. In the very first chapter of Job horrible tragedy strikes. In verses fourteen and fifteen Job hears the report that Sabeans attacked while his servants were plowing with his oxen and other livestock were feeding beside them. The Sabeans stole Job's livestock and killed all his servants except for the one who escaped to bring him this terrible news. Right behind this bearer of bad news came another. In verse sixteen the next messenger reports that fire fell from heaven destroyed his sheep and the servants who were tending them. Immediately following this messenger was a third with news in verse seventeen that the Chaldeans had fallen upon his camels and killed other servants who were tending them. Then came a messenger bearing the most horrible news of all in verses eighteen and nineteen that a great wind had blown down the house of his eldest son with all his children inside, and all were dead. What could be more tragic than that?

Job tore his clothes and shaved his head as a sign of his great grief, but then he did something that really gets our attention. In verse twenty, it is recorded that Job fell to the ground and worshipped God! In the next verse his words are recorded, "Blessed be the name of the Lord!"
There is no time when we need God more than in the midst of tragedy. There is no time when we need to worship more than when we feel the least like doing it.

We certainly don't understand tragedy. We are asking, "why?" Still, when we understand the least, we know that God knows and that He understands. We feel weak and helpless, but His grace is sufficient. There is no one who can comfort us. We need His awesome and holy presence to heal our deep hurt in the midst of tragedy, and His presence is there when we worship Him.

Let's join in prayer for these hurting families in West Virginia, that they may find the healing presence of God and the help that only He can give.