By Howard Eyrich
Editor’s Note: Today Dr. Howard Eyrich helps us think about hope in tragedy. Hope is closely connected to God’s care, concern, and love. You’ll enjoy this short blog and his ministry of encouragement to you today.
Tragedies
Tragedy stalks planet earth! Yes, in my lifetime it has been the Hong Kong Flu, SARS and now C-19. But those are just the pandemics. Polio was the frightening tragedy as I was growing up—remember the iron lung? Well, there are a host of other diseases, some well known and some so not well known, all tragedies fall out of the fall of man.
Close to Home
Many have experienced loss of a loved one in the current C-19 crisis. Some have loss family members without even being able to be with them as they breathed their last. This too is a tragedy. I remember very vividly circling a dying 93-year-old classy lady whom the Lord allowed me to see come to Christ and join the visible church. As she struggled, “It Is Well with My Soul” played in the background. As I prayed with her daughter, two granddaughters and my wife, she expired. We all rejoiced in tears as we knew she stepped into the presence of the Lord.
A Different Scenario
Today an email request to call a dear friend, when convenient, caught my attention. It was later in the day before being able to call. My friend has a wavered son for whom we have often prayed. But today, it was a different scenario. It was her older son. He was diagnosed with a bone marrow cancer yesterday. My friend was genuinely concerned but not depressed, not despairing. Listening to her reminded me of the Apostle Paul in Second Corinthians when he wrote “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair…”. She herself is a poster child for the hospital because she is not only a cancer survivor but raises money for their cancer treatment program.
Hope for A Dying World
If Kevin put out an invitation for readers to submit their tragedies, an endless stream would flow. Readers would end the submissions with questions like:
What is God doing?
Does God not care?
Is God able to do something about this pain and mess?
If God is able, why does He not do something?
Let me assure you that God is able. God cares. God did something. God is going to do something. God is doing something now in the middle of your mess, your pain, and your loss.
What He did do is send His Son Jesus Christ as the prophet Isaiah put it, to bear our griefs, carry our sorrows, be wounded for our sins, and have our penalty (chastisement) laid on Him (Is 53:4-5). What He is doing as the Great Shepherd of the sheep is providing, comforting, and encouraging us while walking through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23, Heb 13:20). And what he will do is return on a white horse to bring the final judgment on sin—the culprit behind all messes (Rev 19:11).
True Hope
Trust God, fellow believer, He is for you!
About the Author:
Dr. Howard is married to Pam, has two adult children, and eight grandchildren. He currently teaches, is an elder, and serves as a board member of the International Association of Biblical Counselors and a fellow in the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. He has served multiple congregations as a church planter, senior pastor, and elder. He has authored multiple books and articles. Over the years, he served working on the staff of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation as Counselor and Director of Curriculum Development, the first Executive Director of then the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (now ACBC), and has led multiple training programs in seminaries and churches. He currently serves as Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program in Biblical Counseling at Birmingham Theological Seminary.
In addition, God has allowed me to be his friend.
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