Lord, he was so young . . . married less than a year. My heart broke for the wife and extended family of the young man—grieving his loss as fellow mourners met with them. A familiar question came to mind: God, why him and not me? I had the same disease, and went through the same bone marrow transplant treatment. Why did he die and why is my cancer in remission? In that moment, God reminded me once again that He alone is sovereign.
Jonah and the crew of the ship heading to Tarshish learned that truth in a dramatic way. The reluctant prophet had reacted to God’s call by setting sail in the opposite direction of where He had told him to go (Jonah 1:2-3). But the sovereign God “hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart” (Jonah 1:4).
At this point, Jonah recognized that some divine discipline and redirection was taking place. So he told the crew to toss him into the fierce and frothing waves, saying, “I know that this terrible storm is all my fault” (Jonah 1:12). The sailors called out to God for the first time in their lives, asking Him to save them from death and not to hold them responsible for Jonah’s demise.
Then they threw the wayward prophet into the troubled sea, and the waters became calm (Jonah 1:15). God, in His sovereignty, had chosen to save the sailors’ lives. He also chose to deliver Jonah from death for His good purposes (Jonah 1:17).
There are times when we ask God, Why? He understands and sympathizes with us (Hebrews 4:15). Sometimes the waves will crash, sometimes loved ones will be taken from us. But we can confidently know that our sovereign God is still good and loving . . . and He knows why.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 5:1-16
More:
What does Isaiah reveal about God’s thoughts in Isaiah 55:8-9? What does David tell us to do with our burdens in Psalm 55:22?
Next:
What has caused you to come to God with questions? How does His sovereignty provide hope and comfort for you in the storms of life?
gary1schelvan on October 13, 2014 at 3:03 am
Brother Tom,
This posting of yours really hit home with me on 2 fronts. First of all I just finished an in depth study of the book of Jonah, it made me think deeply about God’s sovereignty, how He is really ultimately in total control. He has a plan for everything, He sees everything, the whole ball of wax, whereas we have such limited vision.
I identified deeply with how you started out your posting, about why did he die? Why wasn’t it me? Why am I still here living? I just recently, 3 1/2 months ago, lost my dear beloved earthly father to a long valiant struggle with well advanced prostate cancer. I was of course deeply saddened/heart broken by his death at just 84 yrs old, and now my mom after 65 glorious years of a beautiful marriage is struggling mightily as to why she is still here. I know in my heart that God had a plan for my Dad’s life, he had upheld his end of the bargain, and God simply told him it was time to rest peacefully, he had done everything in his life that God could find pleasing.. Good things have come out of my Dad’s death, closer family, grandchildren more connected, but most important, my mom and older brother, through God’s loving, tender guidance were touched by the Holy Spirit and have since started to attend a wonderful, supporting church, where my parents went only sporadically before his long sickness and death. So God is good, He loves us all and He is leading my mom through her grief and sorrow. So praise the Lord in all things, both great and small, because as you said Tom, He is sovereign, loving, and compassionate always.
godlove on October 13, 2014 at 8:27 am
Thanks for your poignant personal story, brother.
Courage to you and your family, and may the Good Lord keep you and be with you.
gary1schelvan on October 14, 2014 at 4:51 am
Hello godlove,
Thank you so kindly for your thoughts and encouragement, they are greatly appreciated. Throughout the whole experience of my dad going home to rest after his long battle with cancer, I felt, saw and experienced God revealing Himself, His tender loving mercies for my whole family in innumerable ways. It has been a hard time, but a blessed enriching time also, knowing with a certainty that He is there to care for my mom in her darkest time of her life. So I rejoice and give thanks to the Lord, I get to see my dad and younger brother whole and renewed one day!
Tom Felten on October 13, 2014 at 11:26 am
gary1chelvan, thank you so much for sharing. Having experienced the death of my Dad just a few years ago, I empathize with you and also recognize the good things that God did around Dad’s homegoing. Yes, God is good and He can be trusted even during the dark and difficult valleys of life.
Gary Shultz on October 13, 2014 at 8:05 am
These are some of the reasons I have to love God. He knows the whys, He knows the path, and the way. He gets it all done perfectly. He does ask for some faith and at times that seems like a very big request, but He never wavers in His ways. Thanks
Tom Felten on October 13, 2014 at 11:29 am
Gary, so true—valley times can be times of building faith. And even our faith is a gift from God!
BearPair on October 13, 2014 at 10:21 am
Amen to these sobering thoughts this morning… and it is precisely because He knows… He does… He cares… and He loves, that we can trust him and love Him all the more, even when our mind can only ask, “Why?”.
Thanks Tom!
Tom Felten on October 13, 2014 at 11:28 am
BearPair, yes, as you wrote: He knows! And through Jesus’ suffering, we have a Mediator who knows what we’re feeling and experiencing in our own pain. What an amazing God!
cgray33 on October 13, 2014 at 1:51 pm
What a great string of comments. Oh for the day when this sin wrecked world will be made right again! Until then, Lord give us an eternal perspective and faith to trust You.
Tom Felten on October 13, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Amen!
gary1schelvan on October 13, 2014 at 10:22 pm
I can only echo Tom’s comment, “Amen Brother.”