Why do these things happen? Why do college students die? What motivates someone to do something so horrific? And on Valentine’s Day too! We cry out to God for an answer, and He is silent. He says nothing. What then? What do you do when something hits you so hard that you have no clue why God did that or even allowed for that to happen?
Christ. That is what we know about God and what He does. All that we know about God, is revealed in Christ. Outside of Christ, we have no idea why things happen. Outside of Christ, this world is just a violent, turbulent place. Outside of Christ, God can seem like He doesn’t even care what happens.
Our God does indeed care about what happens to us in this world. He mourns with us. Sighs with us. He is horrified with us. Cries with us. How could He not? After all, He gave up His Son!
Cling to that Word. Hold fast to it. In a world where everything is upside down, Christ alone is the ground of certainty. Christ came for you. Christ lived for you. Christ suffered for you. Christ died for you. Christ rose for you.
What He did was made yours in your Baptism. That’s where the “for you” becomes “for me.” That’s where the Lord gives to your all that He achieved and won for you on the Cross.
Why did God allow such a thing? I don’t know. Sin? The Devil? The world? Take your pick. I don’t know why things happen in this fallen world.
All I know is that the Father sent His Son for me to save me from sin, death, and the power of the devil. To make me a child of God, to wash my sins away, to deliver me from this veil of tears. He saved you too.
After that, there’s nothing that can be said. In fact, in times like these, that’s all we can say. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
God loved the world in this way, He gave up His Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
