A Time for Grief...

In the midst of several grieving brothers and sisters we have (including me) on the loss of loved ones, we may tend to contemplate and ponder on death, whether tragic, sudden or anticipated and ask WHY this is happening. Some really good questions have arisen that take us into the heart of God, suffering and life. I thought I might spend a bit of time on the blog answering some of these questions asked (I asked).

There are times, we look above and incredulously ask Him the following:

* Why is God letting this happen to me (or mine)?
* Why do good people suffer?
* Couldn't God have prevented this bad thing from happening to me?
* Why should I serve God? Look what's happened to me.
* I've been faithful to God all these years, and look what He's done to me.
* I gave up everything to serve God. Why is He allowing these things?

While these questions are quite normal coming out from out thoughts and emotions, I came to realize we are asking the wrong questions using the wrong premise...That if I am a good Christian and do everything I think God wants me to, He will always take care of me and my loved ones; I am safe and will not suffer.

If we read the Bible and the underlying scriptures you will realize that where in scriptures are we promised health? Where are we promised wealth? Where are we promised anything except that God loves us and will not leave us? Where does it say that our mate will not die? Where are we promised our children will be healthy? God does provide and God does care for us and God does watch over us, but does He guarantee? Does it mean you are favored of God if nothing bad ever happens to you?

Seems like many believers like me have a really hard time realizing that there are no guarantees in scripture for believers other than the two basic ones, and that is..God loves us and will never leave us.

The number one question I've heard is a variation on "why on earth would God let something like this happen? He or she's an amazing person who is serving God. Of all people, why him/her?"

The short answer is always disappointing: I'm not sure we specifically know why it happened. We can talk about he was sick, a robbery, a car losing control etc. But underneath is a bigger idea of God we need to name. I wonder how many of us still carry a picture of God as a puppeteer who directly pulls every strings in our lives? That view of God often blames God for all the bad in our lives and in the world. (Rarely does it give him credit for good, though).

I'm not sure that's the picture of God we get in the Bible. Occasionally God is shown as directly causing calamity -- but not often, and most often not individually. Every death or tragedy that happened in the Bible is not described as the result of an angry God harming people. Even Jesus infers that tragedy is often random. And the overall picture of God in the Bible is of a God rescuing people from a very present and real evil.

The Bible paints a picture of a world that was once ideal (in the beginning), became corrupted (when sin entered the world) and is in the process of being redeemed (through the cross, resurrection and second coming of Jesus). While we long for heaven, we don't live there yet, and the world we in fact live in is one deeply scarred by sin. If an analogy is helpful, it's like buying a new computer that runs perfectly for a while and then gets infected by a virus. When the virus invades it, things are still recognizable, but nothing really works like it was supposed to. That's what life, infected by sin, is like. Good people get hurt. "Bad" people live to be a 100. It's just corrupted.

I'm not sure we know why bad things happen to good people other than the whole system has been corrupted, and nothing is as it once was or will be.

But -- and this is a huge but -- God's redemptive purpose can be at work in every situation. Joseph perfectly illustrates how God can take a terrible situation (He was sold, was a slave, imprisoned) and use it for good (Helped the pharaoh, saved the land from famine, reunited his family). Similarly, God can take all things (good and bad) and use them somehow for his glory if we submit them to him.

I think if we keep framing the question the way we usually ask it (why do bad things happen to good people or why did God let this happen), we'll always be disappointed with the lack of an answer.

If we re-frame the issue in recognition of the fact that we are still living in a fallen world, and ask it this way -- what can God do in the midst of this bad situation if we offer it to him? -- we might be surprised to see what can happen in our lives.

This isn't a neat and tidy answer, but it has helped me immensely as I've tried to make sense of the pain in my life and the pain I've experience in other people's lives and situations.

Let us continue to pray for the souls of Loreto, Elena, Raymond and Ada and for comfort and solace to families of Sis Chona Pasion and Sis Cate Bachar in these days of pain and grief.

A Humble Thank you....

Peace Borthers and Sisters...

First and foremost, please know how blessed we are to count ourselves part of this community we have. There is simply nothing we can write to adequately express our deep feelings of gratitude for the kindness and compassion you have shown to our family since my Dad passed away and the sincere effort you've shown to be with us in the 9 Days Novena prayer for him.

It is literally impossible to quantify and properly thank you for all of the prayers you have prayed, the meals you have delivered, the words of comfort you have offered, the thoughtful tributes you have conveyed, and the kind expressions of sympathy you have provided to us. The monies you have shared were ample assistance as we have sent it to my family in the Philippines.

We hope you will understand how our family has found comfort in the unique and continuous ways so many of you have expressed your concern for us. While our sorrow has indeed been stretched, we have felt God's tender love and embrace directly through you and your faithful kindness. As you continue to care for us and share your condolences, we are reminded of and comforted by the fact that my Dad has a bountiful of people praying for him as he await the gates of heaven.

We also would like to inform you that thru your prayers, our baby, Caiden Luke, has been cleared of his gastro-kidney problems after several tests in Westmead Children's hospital and would no longer need to continue the medicines//antibiotics he has been taking since he was born. The Lord may also be praised for showing negative results for Sis Joy who has undergone breast ultrasound after complaining to a strange lump and painful numbness in her breast area.

Once again, Sis Joy and our children sincerely appreciates your kindness most especially to Bro. Ganni and Sis Flery, whose guiding force and untiring service truly reflects the christian leadership that is needed during these trying and uncertain times in our community. We ask that God to continue to give them and all of us the strength to walk by faith.

We found solace in God's loving mercy and are truly humbled by your kindness and presence during the Novena prayers.

In faith and may God be always praised...

Lorvic and Joy Osorio