God Only Knows, But Still I'd Like an Answer

I'm sure many or most of you have heard the devastating news by now of the passing of Steven Curtis Chapman's little daughter, Maria Sue Chapman. She was only 5-years-old. You can read more about it here.

This hits me especially hard right now given the fact that I'm soon to be a father of a little girl. My heart, my thoughts, and my prayers are certainly with the Chapman family as they begin to walk forward from here.

This tragedy brings to mind so many questions. God, where were you? God, why did You allow this to happen? God, why did this little girl die? God, why the Chapman's? Are you angry with them? Did they do something wrong? What? Why? Where? How?

Tragedies, such as this, also bring with it so many emotions. Anger. Grief. Despair. Doubts. Sorrow. Abandonment. Betrayal. Bitterness. I am very familiar with all of these, as I'm sure, so are you. We've all experienced loss. Someone you knew and loved was taken unfairly, too soon, and quite unexpectantly.

Still, I wonder "WHY?" I too have my personal list of "why's." Why has it been so difficult for Michele and I to conceive a child of our own? Why did we have to endure so many miscarraiges? Why did you allow Michele to have endometriosis? Why does she have to suffer so much pain from it? Why are so many babies aborted every minute when there are so many couples hungry to have them? Why us, are You mad at us? Upset with us? Are you punishing us for an unconfessed sin? Why?

Obviously I'm not God. I'm not even going to begin to think I have THE answer. Or that I could possibly even comprehend the wisdom by which it was formulated. One possible reason I humbly propose, however, for all the "unfair" and "unjust" and just plain "crappy" things that happen in this world is simply this:

SIN.

Because sin is in the world, we have tragedies. Because of sin, this world is broken. Because of sin, things don't always go our way. Because of sin, there is pain. Because of sin, there is grief. Because of sin, babies die. Because of sin, children starve. Becaues of sin, people fly planes into buildings in the name of their "god." Because of sin, Heaven will be the sweetest thing.

God didn't bring sin into this world. Pain was not in His original plan. Suffering wasn't either. Neither were tears. They are all aftershocks from the original sin of Adam and Eve. Like a father has compassion on his little girl who fell and scraped her knee, God too has compasssion on His children as we patiently endure the trials and tribulations of this sin-wrought world. He cries when we cry. He groans when we groan. For you see, they weren't meant to be, and they will soon be gone for good! All praise to our Glorious Redeemer for His matchless grace!