Surpassing understanding

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:4-9

Some if not all of us have been "hit" but something tragic at worst...disruptive at best. One of the things that may at the same time soothe and heighten our pain at times of loss is the all too normal to "need to know" the cause of things. This is particularly true when life's joy and security are suddenly whisked away by a dramatic event.

Three things happened in my circle of friends and acquaintances this week. All of them involved sudden and totally unforeseen death. What was true about the family or household when the day dawned was forever changed by accidental or random occurences that were, literally, fatal. And the end of the day was dark and painfilled beyond understanding.

In the face of the piercing pain of sudden loss, there is really not much that can be said, other than "I am so very, very sorry!". Nothing that anybody can do can set the feet of the grievers on the path to peace of mind. We can't adequately answer the question "why"? So often people say that there will be a time when the answer to that question will be answered.... I'm not certain that it will be...not as long as the questions can be spoken.

What I am totally certain of, though, is that the time will come for each of us when we are seamlessly and totally "one" with the source of all life and the giver of all that is good. In God's eternal presence all of the loss and all of the pain will be enfolded into complete love....and perhaps at that time we will rest in the peace of unknowingness. How can that be?

We may never understand that....but God's love and peace meet us in spite of our need to "know".

The peace of God is solid and sure, surpassing understanding... perhaps because it is not related in any way to the conditions of earthly life. It is transcendent...mysterious...and it is accessible by the faith in God that it is constantly "possible" in His Love.

I pray that you are enfolded in God's peace!