Unspeakable pain...

I am so saddened by what I heard today, on my way to get my haircut. I've been waiting to get home so I could read about it, but now that I have I just feel such heartache once again for a family that just seems to be "going through it" right now. Many of you have been following Angie Smith's (she's married to one of the singers in Selah) story about the loss of their daughter Audrey, but this morning I heard on the radio that they are once again grieving, just 7 weeks later, for the sudden death of their 2 month old nephew, Luke (I think that's his name, but don't quote me). His Mom is Nicole, who used to sing in Selah with her brother Todd. She isn't on their latest album, but you would know her voice from all their previous albums and some of their classic songs. She went in to check on her son last night in the middle of the night and found him in his crib, not breathing. They were not able to resuscitate him and neither were the paramedics. He is now in Heaven with his little cousin Audrey.

I just can't believe the depth of loss this family is walking through and the heartache they must be wrestling with. There have been several points in my life when I've just wanted to throw my arms in the air and cry, "ENOUGH GOD!!!" This feels like one of those times. It seems to me, from my earthly perspective, that this family has been through enough already, to now be faced with this. Life has been hard and now it just got harder. But you know, the key thought in that statement, is that I can only see things from an earthly, flawed perspective. I can't see what God sees and I can't know what He knows. So when reason seems absent, faith must intervene. I know that God does not leave those who love Him and He does not wound those He loves, just for the sake of wounding. He is and always will be Sovereign. He loves his children so much that He gave His only Son's life for us. He cannot love us more than that. But when sin entered the picture, back in the Garden of Eden, He must have grieved, because He knew that meant there would be days like this. Days when things don't make sense, when people are hurt, when losses are hard, when arms are thrown in the air in disgust, when tears won't stop flowing. Our world is forever flawed and until God removes us from it and takes us to Heaven with Him, there will continue to be days like this. Days that you just want to wake up from and pretend never happened.

I hurt for the whole Smith family as they walk this familiar road again. I take comfort in knowing that one day all these "wrongs" will be "righted" in the perfect justice of a Holy God. He is working, even when we can't see it or don't feel it. He is with Moms and Dads whose hearts are breaking and little kids who don't understand. And He cares about all of them and He's catching all those tears in His nail-pierced hands. Pray for these families. You can read all about it here, as the details and specific needs unfold. To God be the Glory no matter the circumstance.