The “New Year” always seems to rejuvenate us, offer us hope, and open for us another chapter in our lives. Yet, for one family I know, and countless others I do not know, the new year brought with it heartbreak and despair. In less than six hours, I will conduct the funeral of Christian man who will leave behind two teenage girls who, in their short time on earth, have now lost both their mother and their father. I cannot begin to comprehend the feelings and emotions of these two teenage girls and how overwhelmed they must feel. These girls now have to face life, and all its choices, with all its joys and sorrows, without their mother and their father.
As I prepared for the funeral, I came to realize how many questions I have to which I do not have any answers. Oh, I think I understand death from a theological point of view. I understand the reality of death., and how and why death entered into this world. I also understand that we all must some day die. What I don’t have clear vision of is why two teenage girls would be asked to carry such pain, and how that will ultimately, by God’s good providence , work together for good (Romans 8:28). Those are the questions to which I do not have answers, but I have full confidence that God is in control. In fact, in the midst of circumstances that leave us bewildered, that is the one truth upon which we can lean and find stability and strength.
Many prayers have been prayed over the past 8 months for Dr. David Fant. Thousands of prayers have been offered up to God, asking that David be healed of his illness. Well, God answered those prayers, just not in the way we were wanting. Instead, God answered those prayers in a better way. David is fully healed today, and will never be sick again. As for Charli and Jessie, his daughters, they are not alone. They have a heavenly Father who is watching over them, and they have a spiritual family who loves them more than words can adequately express.
Despite the quantity and severity of the pain and heartache we may be called upon to bear in this life, we can affirm without hesitancy, “God is good!” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17).
Steve,
Kayleigh told me she really appreciated what you had to say. Your thoughts in your article, though tough to think about, are right on. My prayers are with you as you continue to help in this very difficult time.
Hi John, Thanks for your comment. It was a difficult funeral to perform, but David’s character and faith helped everyone to get through it.
I got your message today. Thank you for getting back with me. It probably did not work because I changed the address from the long waynesboro one to just http://www.matthewmorine.com Thank you for your time. I really enjoy your blog.