In my conversation with Nathan yesterday, we talked a bit about why bad things happen. We tossed out the regular answers about “free will”. But, as I was typing up the post yesterday, the word “redeemed” came to me.
The truth is that I don’t know why God sometimes intervenes and stops some things from happening and other times He chooses not to. I see some little glimpses of things that may help me understand it a little. However, I do hold to this truth:
Job 19:25-26- “I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes– I and not another! How my heart yearns within me.”
All the things that I don’t understand. The situations that hurt. The memory of standing in a waiting room hearing that we were facing an “irretrievable” situation with my mom. The tears from pleading and believing for physical healing for her and not receiving it. All of it will be redeemed.
How redemption looks like now in my life:
After a long season of grief, God brought Isaac to our family. I don’t believe that it’s a coincidence that when we chose a name that started with a vowel (to go along with the names of our other children), we chose a name that means “He will laugh”. Isaac’s birth has ushered in a new season for our family. The promise of laughter.
Thanks for writing this, Amy. And my condolences with your losing your Mother. We’re in the process of losing my Mom to a brain tumor. I don’t know what people do who don’t have the hope that God really does mean what He says. That is pretty cool when you think about it.
You’re welcome. Since Rachel first mentioned the situation with your mom on Facebook, I feared that it would be an inoperable situation. I lost my mom to bleeding complications because of a brain tumor. The time from discovering she had the tumor to her death was less than 1 day. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to know ahead of time and say “goodbye”. But your road isn’t easy either. To watch someone fade is painful.
I don’t understand the “why”, but I do hold firmly to the belief that this will be redeemed. I’m so sorry you are losing your mom. Nothing will really make up for that, but I know this situation will not be wasted.
I admire your family so much! I plan to send a long email to you and your wife one of these days.
This weekend, I was just wondering if your mother passed in January or February. Has it been 2 years already?
My mother in now under hospice care, but she is still mobile. She went to church yesterday. Too bad Sarah and Victoria weren’t there.
Our redemption is a bit different. She has been remarried to my dad for 2 1/2 years.
I miss seeing you.
Thanks, Leslie. It will be 2 years in January. We miss you too.
BTW, 2 Cor 1:3-4 is one of my favorite verses and talks of how God redeems bad situations.