MY GOOD FRIEND, WHO IS BOTH AFRAID AND BRAVE AT THE SAME TIME

My good friend, a kind and gentle woman of faith and compassion, with a great sense of humor, has been diagnosed with ALS.

I write these words for two reasons. One, I want her to know how much she is loved. And two, I believe she can teach us.

Some say that faith in God will fix life. Believe in Jesus and all will be well. Put your trust in God and God will deliver security and wealth.

By the late 1930's, Adolf Hitler had taken control of the Christian Church in Germany. Many leaders in the Church were silent. But one young pastor by the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pacifist, joined a conspiracy to “rid the world of a madman.” In a Christmas greeting in 1940, Bonhoeffer wrote that in the Church, “Germans . . . want a 'vacation from life,' 'a wisp of magic asking nothing and promising everything.'” (“Strange Glory” by Charles Marsh, p. 302) Bonhoeffer was imprisoned and hanged just before the war ended.

The Apostle Paul, in prison awaiting trial, writes a letter to a congregation in the city of Philippi, which includes these words, “. . . for I have learned to be content with whatever I have.” (Philippians 4:11) It is a remarkable testimony of faith in the worst of times, but faith did not get Paul out of jail. He will remain in prison until he is executed.

In many Christian Churches, the Sunday before Lent is called Transfiguration Sunday and the gospel reading is the story of Jesus and three members of his congregation walking to the top of a mountain, where Jesus' appearance is changed (transfigured); “his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.” The disciples hear a voice declaring, “This is my son, the beloved; with him I am well pleased . . .” (Matthew 17)

That beloved son is eventually betrayed, beaten, and nailed to a cross, where he is heard to cry with a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27)

We live on this side of Easter, so we believe Jesus was not forsaken, but was raised up from death to life, that he lives. But at the time of his great suffering, he too asked “why.” Why is this happening to me? What have I done to deserve this? Why is God allowing this to happen? Has God abandoned me?

There is fairly good evidence that two of the disciples with Jesus on that mountain died for their faith in him. Faith in God did not guarantee comfort or wealth, or freedom from troubles.

The blessings that flow from faith may have a greater impact upon the neighbor than upon the one who is faithful.

I am not sure if I know how to say this, but I believe that my friend's faith, her grace and compassion, her kindness and gentleness, are no guarantee she will be saved from troubles, but it does guarantee she will be a blessing to others. Her faith in Jesus is not a promise that her troubles will be over and her life full of joy. But her faith in Jesus is a promise that she will strive to help others in their troubles and she will bring joy to this world.

So my dear friend, if you read this, I hope you know how much you are loved, by me and by so many others, and I dare trust and say you are loved by God, even though it may be difficult to believe that now. But know this, you are a blessing in this broken world. You make a difference.

I do not understand why this world is filled with so much injustice and suffering. Some, for sure, caused by us. Caused by our greed and selfishness. We are sinners and therefore we sin. We do wrong to one another in many ways. We bring hurt to those we love and even to ourselves.

So perhaps we can explain, even though it seems impossible to comprehend, the imprisonment and execution of people like Paul and Bonhoeffer. We only get to chapter four in Genesis before Cain kills his own brother. Much of the pain and suffering we witness is on us.

But that does not answer all our questions. How can God, who we confess to be all good and, at the same time, all powerful, allow illness and calamity to come down upon God's children?

It does not take long on this earth to discover that some things do not make any sense, no matter how we may try to explain them.

Maybe there is a plan, as some say. In truth, I do not know. I am pretty sure no one else on this earth knows either. But it is hard to see God's purpose when you are diagnosed with ALS or cancer, or when you lose a child, or when a flood comes raging through your community, or when you have a heart attack at age 50, or your spouse begins to show signs of dementia.

When those things happen, somehow you still believe. You still pray. You still strive, as best you can, to follow Jesus and do what you can to help others in their need, but there are times, many times when you want to raise your voice loudly and cry . . .

My God, my God, why?

Gary