Elizabeth loved the book of Isaiah and Maddie loved John. Two months after Maddie went home, I found comfort in Isaiah 57:1-2.
The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.
John11:4
Jesus said, “this sickness will not end in death. No it id for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
I often wonder and am asked, “Why do children have to die?” I have spent over 13 years wondering why young people get sick, hurt, or even die. It is inconceivable as to God’s rationale for taking tender lives so young. We find ourselves shaking our fists to the heavens, angry that a terrible mistake has been made.
I have heard it all: God needed another angel; God’s garden of beautiful souls needed one more flower; He was merciful to end their suffering; God makes no mistakes; To everything there is a season… The list goes on for “explanations”, but to a grieving parent, these are not words of encouragement, and some of them are not even close to the truth. So, what DOES God’s word say about those who perish, or does it even mention it?
Isaiah was a prophet chosen by God to go into many tough situations, and he often felt unprepared, and even betrayed that God sent him on a futile mission. He saw war, famine, and he faced death and hurt countless times. This book is so close to home for warriors (those on a physical battle field, and those who fight for their own lives).
Isaiah found himself wondering the same thoughts any grieving parent wants answers to each day. WHY? Why do good people die? Why do young people die? WHY? Why does a God of mercy, who can stop the disease, allow it to continue to the point of death?
I don’t know if this is the reason, but it does elude to something that I connected with, and I find some bit of comfort in these words.
We live in a horribly broken world. It is not getting better. It is filled with hurt, sin, pain, and suffering-not at all what God intended for us in Creation. Yet, these things are supposed to progress until the end of times, when the trumpet will sound and we will all be released. What does that have to do with our children suffering? Isaiah tells us that the righteous (those right with God-and children are included) will perish because the world is sinful, and they will be removed from the broken world in death.
We imagine our lives are good-sometimes even perfect. We can’t conceive how a child dying and leaving a loving home, with good and even Godly families is part of God’s plan, but we have to remember the spiritual battle taking place for our lives daily. Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy. He doesn’t attack those already on his side-those who’ve turned away from God. Bad things do happen to bad people, certainly, but he is fighting for their souls, and he aims to kill them eternally.
So does God allow death to come to children out of grace and mercy? Does He allow them to succumb to prevent them from a lifetime of spiritual warfare? God is a God of Love. He is all-knowing and omnipotent. He knows what will come in the future-both suffering and blessings because of the reactions we will have today.
God didn’t take my girls to fill a garden. He didn’t make them into angels (those are spiritual beings God created separate from humans). He may have simply ended their time to endure spiritual warfare because the battle would be too detrimental to them or those around them.
How do we respond to the loss of someone special, and sometimes young? Do we turn away from God out of anger? Who wins that battle? Who loses? Our children are secure in their eternal resting place and their spot is saved in Heaven. How we respond will directly impact our own eternity. As for me, I will not let Satan be victorious in the death of my children. He will not get any one of us for eternity because I am hurt, confused and angry. I will instead, thank God for allowing me the time I had and for taking my girls “on ahead” while we finish our time here.