Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Prov. 3:5)
MY FRIEND MARSHA held son-in-law in her arms.
“He’s gone,” the man cried. His words pierced Marsha’s heart.
“How could he be gone? Everything was fine last night,” she wondered. The family expected a home birth, but something went terribly wrong. The call Marsha waited for—“We’re ready; come on over”—was replaced by the frantic voice of her son-in-law’s mother pleading for her to meet her at the hospital and be with her daughter.
Marsha sat in rush-hour traffic, praying for a glint of hope. She met God in His faithfulness. Yet He answered her prayer in a different way. At the hospital, she realized that her grandson had passed from his mother’s womb into eternity. His life ended twelve hours before birth. Just when Marsha couldn’t take it anymore, she cried out to God. At that moment, her husband walked into the hospital room, threw his arms around her, and gave her the love she needed in her grieving.
When we face tragedies, God holds us in the palm of His hand and leads us past what we can understand. He accompanied this family through the helpless feelings of experiencing a child’s death. They could not lean on their own understanding. What happened made no sense at all. They had to trust God with all their hearts. And He comforted them.
Acknowledge before God today how in the most desperate situations, He has remained faithful.
Sue Tornai lives with her husband, John, and dog, Maggie, in northern California. She teaches elementary Sunday school and leads a Christian writers group.
