This blog was written a couple of weeks ago but I wanted to post it now. I’m not looking to give lots of answers but just to share my heart:

Today I’ve taken two cremation services, such a heart breaking day for the families… But I had planned to write some thoughts as I’m sure many of us have questions….

The loss of a loved one is always difficult regardless of age. Whether it’s expected or out of the blue, death impacts our lives. For many years I was a children’s nurse before becoming full time in ministry during that time I unfortunately seen many children and young people die. My own nephew who was in his early 20’s was murdered a few years ago. Each time I felt helpless as I struggled to find words of comfort for our wider family and our friends.

None of us understand why such things happen. If God has anything to do with it, I don’t understand what He’s thinking. What’s his purpose? What’s the point? Why is such sorrow brought upon spouses, parents, friends, and relatives? Sometimes I shudder when, in such circumstances, I hear people say, “It’s God’s will”. I don’t like to let God off the hook so easily. There is probably a very thin line between what God wills and what God allows.

I accept the fact that many things in life are a mystery and we could have lengthy theological discussions about God and evil and why bad things happen to good people. There are many things that happen in life and I certainly cannot give my friend or others easy explanations for why a baby or child or young person dies and other’s live to be 100 years old. Do the good die young?  Yes, sometimes. Do bad people live long lives? Yes, sometimes. Do some of us live long lives because we need a lot of time for a deep spiritual transformation to take place within us? This is very likely. Life really is a mystery.

It is not likely we will solve its mystery this side of the grave. Through faith we believe and trust that our lives and the lives of others, no matter how short, have a purpose and life is not just a series of random, meaningless experiences. I must believe that life and pain have meaning and someday I hope understand it. Part of the mystery of life is that we never know when it will end. This should motivate us to live each day well and to the fullest. Scripture brings insight and comfort.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)  That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.  For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 

2 Corinthians 1:2-4 (NLT) May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Why does God allow young people to die?

It always feels unfair when we see a baby, child or young person die, and we feel that there must be a reason for it. But the truth is, none of us is guaranteed a long life. Death is the great common denominator, and will affect all of us, sooner or later. Our lives here are short, relatively speaking, but whether they are decades long, or only months long, our destiny remains the same. God knows and loves each individual.

We may feel a keen sense of loss over the death of anyone, especially a young person, but it should be heartening to know that our loved one is still safe, still cared-for, and still a loved member of the family of God. Remember, this is only the first part of life we have an eternity ahead of us in which we will fellowship with God himself and together.

I am aware that there are so many other things we can say – we could talk about spiritual warfare etc. We have just looked at the big question of death in our Sunday meeting teaching. If you didn’t hear it can I encourage you to download Nic’s talk from http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/frontline-the-family-service/id338298912