What a great Sunday to be at church! Steven Curtis Chapman showed and led the service with great music and a great message. We've been big fans of his music over the years. They have adopted 3 children from China (in addition to their 3 biological children who are all teens/young adults) so they have a special connection to this place. One of the children was adopted from an orphanage run by a couple in our church so they have maintained the frienship and financial support of their organization.
It was relatively big news last year when their youngest daughter, who was 4 years old, was killed when one of their older children backed up a car and hit her. It was horrifying to read about something so tragic and you wonder how any family, even a tremendously faithful family, could overcome the pain and guilt of losing a child. As humans we tend to want to believe that good people are exempt from tragedy, yet we all know exceptions to that statement. The Chapman's message today, though, was one of amazing faith and peace. He spoke with such calmness and conviction of the assurance of God's plans and the knowledge that they would be reunited again. It was evident that the pain of losing their daughter was still fresh and very painful; to hear their message of hope and faith was so inspiring.
One of the more challenging verses in the Bible are 'We know that in everything God works for good, to those are called accoring to His purpose." It sounds great in general...but it requires a tremendous act of faith. At those times when you are searching for that good, you are probably in the midst of pain, or confusion, or anger. You probably can't understand why things are happening, or why they are happening to you. And in the midst of everything, you're supposed to look for good? Faith is essential, because so often the good doesn't appear except through hindsight.
It's these kinds of situations where I don't know how people who don't have a faith manage. It's impossible to make sense of something so senseless. One of things that Chapman said today that has kept them going was the knowledge that the past they had shared was small when compared with the future they will have together again someday. They just don't believe that they will never see their daughter again. And their convication gives me hope. It was a powerful reminder that we can't understand everything that happen, either to us or around us. We can't, and we don't have to. We can place our faith in God, who is beside us every day, to carry us when we can't walk, to guide us through the darkest times, knowing that in the end we will see everything clearly.
Through the donations and support as a result of their loss the Chapmans have funded a project in China called Maria's Big House of Hope. It's a center that provides medical services for special needs children and orphans, a service that is desperately needed here.
It great how things work--an unexpected treat like Steven Curtis Chapman leads to a profound message, which leads to a sense of peace that is still with me. I hope the Chapmans know that they are working the good in their message and their music.
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