by Anonymous Logician, Copyright March 17, 2007, all rights reserved. 643 views
Last week death invaded our little church for the second time in a year, and the funeral of 9-month old Ruthie took place today. Ruthie was an incredible baby who fought for the whole of her short life against the kidney disease that eventually took her away. The shock of losing someone we'll never really get to know in this life is a strange feeling. It intensifies the cruelty of death, and makes faith in God's providence difficult. We know God ultimately ordains all things. We know He works them all for the good of His people. When we're in mourning, however, we can no longer roll these truths casually off our tongues.
My own tongue is tied by events like little Ruth's death. I don't know what to say to a grieving family, and I always feel like I'm the one who's being ministered to. The faith of people like Ruthie's parents strengthens mine. I know the biblical teaching on death; I know its sticky identity as bitter enemy and yet tool of God. I believe Reformed theology provides the only solid answer to the philosophical problem of evil. And yet when tragedy actually spits in our faces, we need something more than philosophy textbooks. Ruth's parents are people who have the strength they need.
And for that we can only thank God.