(After writing this, I realized that it is extremely LONG! I would suggest reading it in several sessions.)
On May 14, 1988, a school bus full of children, teens, and chaperons was traveling down interstate 71 en route to Radcliff, Kentucky. They were on the way home from a church outing at a Cincinnati amusement park.
As the bus was nearing Carrollton, Kentucky, a drunk driver in a pickup truck was heading the wrong way down the highway and slammed into the bus head on. The bus burst into flames, killing 24 young people and three adults. Thirty other people were injured in the crash. The pickup driver, Larry Mahoney, was a repeat drunk driving offender. He survived, sustaining only minor injuries. His blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.024), substantially higher than the legal limit in Kentucky.
In just a few terrible moments more than 57 families were shattered and an entire community was in shock. Some lost sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, parents and others lost friends friends. Many had to help surviving loved ones recover from injuries and trauma.
Many of the survivors and families of victims traumatized by this senseless crash have spent the last 22 years rebuilding their lives through the hard work of emotional and physical healing . They have met together, worked together, and even fallen in love with one another. They are "average" people with inspiring and exceptional stories—stories about coping with heart-wrenching loss, giving selflessly of themselves to build safer communities and finding a way back to hopefulness.
Tragedy and crisis makes two types of people. I recently read an article about Lary Mahoney and his life after being released from prison. He basically lives in seclusion and refuses to talk about the his horrible behavior that led to the death and injury of so many people. Although we can not know for sure the state of his heart, his silence speaks volumes as far as I am concerned. His unwillingness to do anything publicly to redeem himself is an indication that he is still living under the weight of the guilt he feels.
On the contrary, I read another article about Janey Fair. She lost her fourteen year old daughter in this horrible accident. In this article, she said the following about Mr. Mahoney: "...from my understanding, Larry Mahoney will never talk about it. He's too shy and it probably too painful to talk about."
Fair says that she has never spoken to Mr. Mahoney and does not resent his unwillingness to tell his story. "The whole time he was in prison he sought for and received treatment, attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings when they were available. I think he's realized that he is better off living a quiet life with his family. And, if this keeps him from drinking and driving, then that's what he needs to do."
Mrs. Fair has turned her pain into activism. She serves on MADD's National Board of Directors and as vice president of victim's issues. She is also president of the Kentucy Victims Coalition. (this info was current in 2004)
With this story in mind, let us approach another story that happened over 2000 years ago. The story in John 11 of the death and resurrection of Lazarus is a story of tragedy as well. A man, a personal friend, one who scripture declares that Jesus loved, is sick and this sickness is more than a headache or minor ailment. No, this is a desperate situation. You can hear the desperation in the words sent to Jesus: "Lord, he whom you love is ill." (John 11:3, NRSV)
As we read this story, we can extrapolate some vital principles about tragedy and how we are to understand its function in our lives. What does it mean when we are confronted with seemingly impossible situations? Have we done something wrong?
Before we go any further, let me make something perfectly clear: I have found that I live in a flesh and bone body. Consequently, when tragedy and crisis suddenly arrive, my confession at the moment may not always be right and my attitude may not be exactly as it should be. Fact is, it is easy to maintain these things when everything is going well. But, in a moment of crisis, I might just actually make a mistake and say something I should not say or do something I should not do.
Now, don't get me wrong. I certainly do believe in the law of reaping and sowing; however, I do not believe that all crisis, all sickness, all negative things that can and do happen in our lives is a direct result of some flagrant disregard of God's law. I, for one, believe that the Lord is much more merciful than that! Consequently, I may indeed open the door for tragedy, but when the door is open, it hardly matters why at the time. Oh, when it is said and done, perhaps we can pin point, in retrospect, where we went wrong or what we might have done that precipitated the crisis. However, in the midst of it, it hardly matters.
I suggest that there are times when tragedy comes our way when it has absolutely nothing to do with what we have done or said, but rather has everything to do with who/what we are: with our humaness—that we live in a world that is permeated with darkness and the effects of sin and death are all around us. In this, I find comfort in the words of Christ when he said it rains on the just and the unjust. (Mt. 5:45) Yet, such an understanding does not always make it easier when crisis hits our homes or lives.
So, what do we do? How are we to respond or react when things we cannot plan for intrude upon our lives and invade our peace and tranquility? Well, let us turn our attention to the text for these answers. Remember, God's word always has an answer! I might just simply be that God is in control and it is not for you or I to always understand those things which God has not chosen to reveal; those secret things that belong to Lord. I am reminded here of a passage in the Apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus:
Neither seek what is too difficult for you, nor investigate what is beyond your power. Reflect upon what you have been commanded, for what is hidden is not your concern. Do not meddle in matters that are beyond you, for more than you can understand has been shown you. (Ecclus 3:21-23, NRSV)God's word always has something of value to say to us. It is a living document that is relevant in the darkest of times and the most difficult of situations.
In John 11, as we witness this scene of crisis, there are some glaring truths that just leap off the page at me. It is important to understand the nature of tragedy. And let me say, before I go any further, that I am sure the enemy uses crisis to try and dislodge us and defeat us when possible. For us to stand, we must understand these most basic truths: tragedy doe not negate our friendship with God, our intimacy with the Lord, or God's love for us.
Notice with me that tragedy is often unavoidable, regardless of whether we are in the right position or pray the right prayers. Mary and Martha were in the right position: they were friends of Christ. It is believed that Jesus would often stay in their home in Bethany when he was in town. There was certainly more here than a casual acquaintance.
In this story, there are definitely some negative things taking place. Many of our modern day faith movements like to gloss over the negatives; it's inappropriate to talk about the negative things. But, I say that it is time that we better start talking about it. Many people have followed the right formulas and quoted the right scriptures, attending the right church and read the right books, listening to the right preacher... but, the formulas have not worked for them and they have still found themselves suffering the pain of tragedy. We need to let them know that it is often simply because we live in a fallen world where things do not always work as they should or how we think they should or how we want them to work. Fact is, in this life, have to tread some paths not easily traveled and walk some roads paved in tears and blood and the agony of human suffering.
Lazarus was loved by Jesus and yet he is sick and fighting for his very life. Mary and Martha did the only thing they knew to do; that is, they sent world, thus they prayed, to the Lord Jesus. Here we see that when crisis entered the scene, they did the right thing. Sometimes it is not always what we have done before the crisis but what we do in the crisis that matters. Mary and Martha could have thrown their hands in the air and moaned and groaned about their current situation. But no, we see them calling upon their Savior. They had no doubt seen Jesus heal the sick and knew that he could heal their brother.
It is imperative for us to realize that sometimes trouble comes to us regardless of who we are, where we are in our relationship with the Lord, or even what we are doing at the time. Let me further add that there are times when faced with trouble, our faith may not entirely be what we would like it to be. The sisters were aware of Christ's power but for some reason felt that it was only legitimate as long as the ultimate had not happened. Death was just too big, even for Jesus. Sometimes, our faith wavers and notice that Christ did not chide them for it. [Isn't this contrary to the self righteous friend sitting by the side of Job watching him scrape the scabs off of his body with broken pieces of pottery? "Surely, YOU have done something to bring this crisis upon yourself!] Jesus amazingly and loving nudges them along toward the revelation that He is God over life and death and everything in between. That is exactly what Christ was saying to them when he uttered the words: "I am the resurrection and the life..." (Jn 11:25)
The story of Lazarus shows to us that prayer must be a priority. Mary and Martha had a special relationship with Christ; they were friends and therefore felt as though they had a right and special connection with Christ to call upon him in this time of tragedy. Not only were these two sisters in the right position, they also did the right thing. They reached out to the right person, their Lord and friend Jesus Christ.
Now, before we go further, I want to make a bold statement. Brace yourself here, for I am about to lay out some naked truth. I am about to give you some raw revelation.
It might actually come as a surprise to some people these days, but God's agenda and our agenda are not always the same! Sometimes, just sometimes, God might just have another idea—another plan might be in the works that we cannot see or immediately apprehend. It is no doubt that Mary and Martha were sincere in their prayer and they were convinced that Jesus could heal their brother. But, Christ had an agenda of his own, which unfortunately included their discomfort, but would ultimately bring glory to God.
Oh the implications of such in our own lives! We, the curators of God's promises. This shows that we are not the ones in control. Although we have been given, as Peter says, "...exceeding great and precious promises..." (2 Peter 1:4), it is not up to us regarding the how and when God chooses to administer these promises. We live according to God's timetable and exist within the sphere of God's sovereignty. Discretion is still God's prerogative! No doubt, it was Christ's intent and therefore will to heal Lazarus. But, the ultimate plan was unknown to Mary and Martha. We must learn to trust God even when we do not understand or see what we think we should or desire to see. God does not operate according to our ideas or the job description we have created for him.
Thus, with all this in mind, let's understand that although prayer moves the heart of God, we often pray without a full understanding of God's will. Jesus knew that this sickness was not an end for his friend but that he was going to use this tragedy to show to his friends and disciples the glory of God. Our comfort is not always God's number one priority! This can be difficult for us to grasp. However, we must also realize that our ultimate good and fulfillment is to be found in the Glory of God being manifested in us and sometimes, yes, sometimes, through our suffering. When the bible says God has exalted his Word above his very name, it means that God's glory is the highest object of the divine and not always our personal and immediate comfort or even our temporal well-being. This is exactly what happened here. Mary and Martha suffered. Lazarus died. But, all this human suffering u provided the stage upon which the glory of God, the power of Christ—even over the enemy of death, was revealed.
In all this, it is also important for us to recognize that emotion is a natural response to tragedy. We live in a macho masculine dominated culture where emotion is weakness and crying is for sissies. But listen, Christ cried (Jn 11:35). He unabashedly unashamedly cried. In many ways, we have bought into this macho, no pain feeling mentality within Christianity, to our own detriment. Never admit weakness, never allow yourself to appear needy. In so doing we totally ignore the dynamic of Christ body, where Paul said, "[b]ear one another's burdens..." (Ga 6:2, NRSV) James tells us to
"confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another..." (James 5:16, NRSV) I am grateful of this portrait of a Savior showing emotion.
Pain hurts, and it is okay to grieve. It is not healthy to hold grief inside. Often, when we do, I can assure you , it will find a way out somehow and when we have suppressed our feelings and hid our true self, when it does finally break to the surface it probably will not do so in a constructive manner.
If we can not be who we really are in the church, pray tell me where can we be real? The church should be a haven of safety for us when we are hurting and where we can remove the mask society forces us to wear and be real with ourselves, others, and real with the Lord. We have nothing to gain by stifling the natural grief process that the Lord has created within us. It does not mean that our faith is weak. Here, Christ knew what he was about to do and that this would bring great applause from those now sorrowful, yet, he took time to feel, to be touched with the feelings of our infirmities (He 4:15) knowing that humans in crisis can not always see the greater good or peer behind the veil of divine sovereignty.
Next, we see that perseverance pays off. When a crisis invades our lives, we often do not want to wait it out. We want to get out of the trouble as soon as possible. Notice that although it was within Christ's power to alleviate their pain simply by speaking the word of healing, yet, he chose not too. He waited an entire two whole days before leaving to go to them. This was a painful forty-eight hours of grief and sorrow!
Listen to this: sometimes the only way out of a storm is to ride it out. We naturally look for exits when God wants us to persevere within the struggle so that his glory can be revealed in us. One day Lazurus was alive, then he was dead. Four days later he lived again. Allot can happen in a week with the Lord! Remember, God has his own timetable.
"And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Rom 5:3-5, NRSV)
If you have not understood anything thus far, please, understand this: I am convinced that many people within the church have suffered the loss of passion in their relationship with the Lord because of things that have happened in their lives that they do not fully comprehend. Notice t hat Mary did not immediately go out to meet Jesus like Martha did. In fact, she did not go at all until Christ beckoned for her to come. When she got there we hear the subtle indictment in her statement, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (John 11:21,NRSV)
Mary did not greet Jesus as he entered into her home as he had no doubt often done. She was not worried about his weary feet this day; no concern for the burden of the shadow of the cross that she could plainly perceive. Remember, she had washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair (according to some traditions). No, in pain and personal grief, she simply said "if you had been here my brother would not have died." Mary lost her passion because of the pain of this loss.
Was Mary's thinking right? No. But, did Christ rebuke her harshly? No. We live in a hard world of suffering and pain. Often, even the church can be a place of controversy and hurting where men and women fight for their very existence. Maybe the current decline in spiritual fervor and passion in the church is not always because people do not love God but because they fail to fully understand that God can take all this tragedy and turn it into triumph. It is more than a cliche'. He can heal our hurts and pains and cause us once again to burn with holy passion!
As the prophet Habakkuk said:
I hear, and I tremble within; my lips quiver at the sound. Rottenness enters into my bones, and my steps tremble beneath me. I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us. Trust and Joy in the Midst of Trouble. Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights. To the leader: with stringed instruments. (Hab 3:16-19, NRSV)
There is no doubt that God uses disaster for his Glory. Many times suffering will bring out the best in human character and integrity. Throughout human history there are countless examples of men and women who exhibited amazing strength and character in the midst of great conflict and crisis.
God did not cause the horrible bus accident in Kentucky that fateful day when 27 children and three adults lost their lives. But God surely has used this accident for his glory. Countless stories of unbelievable human love and forgiveness has been the result of this accident. Not to mention that the US has safer laws today because these parents took their grief and worked to see to it that this may never happen again.
So, what does all this mean for us? It helps us see that there is nothing too big for the Lord! No crisis too big, no sickness too devastating, no cut too deep or pain too harsh. Jesus can heal the worst of cases and bring glory to God. This helps us when we are tempted to blame God for tragedy. "Lord, if you had only been here..." I propose, however, that he was there all along. He knew what was going on and although we can not see God or feel his presence at times, we know that he is still there. Christ knew exactly what was happening in Bethany that fateful day when Lazarus breathed his final breath. Death did not take Jesus by surprise nor was he intimidated by it.
Listen to the resolve in his voice as he says, "I am resurrection and life." No earthly king dare utter these words. Yet, Jesus standing before Pilate says: "my kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom was of this world, my disciples would have made a good fight to keep me out of the hands of the Jews. But my kingdom is not here." (Jn 18:36) We might not always see God's power or intent. But remember, Christ kingdom is spiritual and as of yet, not entirely visible to the natural eye.
Watch intently as Christ commands the stone to be removed. Hear him cry with a thundering voice, a voice as of many waters, that echoed into the silence of the grave and ripped Lazarus from the grip of death, destruction, and decay! "[T]he dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." (John 5:25, NRSV)
He was sleeping, Jesus said. What he was saying, in essence was this: in light of who I am and what I can do, it is not as bad as it seems! This is a truth that we all can lay ahold of and claim for ourselves!
Lastly, God changes lives through crisis. Notice the people whose lives were forever changed. Mary and Martha were never the same. Lazarus was forever changed. The Jews that were there to witness this miraculous event were no doubt changed as well. The disciples were changed.
Through tragedy and crisis, we become stronger than we would have ever become otherwise. How scared of sickness and death do you think Lazarus was after this incident? Many times people will come to know the Lord through our crisis. Look at the case of the man in Ohio that lost all his daughters in that bus accident. He has traveled all over the nation preaching the gospel out of his loss an seen countless thousands of people come to know the Lord out of his tragedy. This might not set well with some of us and our ideas about God, but it is often where we live.
In conclusion, I end with this quote from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions for March 4, entitled "My grace is sufficient for thee," based upon 2 Cor 12:9:
"If none of God's saints were poor and tried, we should not know half so well the consolations of divine grace. When we find the wanderer who has not where to lay his head, who yet can say, "Still will I trust in the Lord;" when we see the pauper starving on bread and water, who still glories in Jesus; when we see the bereaved widow overwhelmed in affliction, and yet having faith in Christ, oh! what honor it reflects on the gospel. God's grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers.
Saints bear up under every discouragement, believing that all things work together for good, and that out of apparent evils a real blessing shall ultimately spring--that their God will either work a deliverance for them speedily or most assuredly support them in trouble, as long as he is please to keep them in it. This patience of the saints proves the power of divine grace. There is a lighthouse out at sea: it is a calm night--I can not tell whether it will stand. So with the Spirit's work: if it were not on many occasions surrounded with tempestuous waters, we should not know how firm and secure it was. The master-works of God are those men who stand in the midst of difficulties, steadfast, unmovable."
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