Yesterday
in the Mountaineer Newspaper the reader was introduced to local author, Ann
Davis Melton. The Headline read “Author
shares miracles in her walk with God.”[1] The book is described as “a first-hand account
of the power of prayer and the successes that can come from closely waking with
the Lord.” Ms. Melton will be signing
her book at Blue Ridge Books and News on Saturday and Sunday of this week and I
plan to get my copy. However, I also
plan to ask the author if she plans a follow up book on where God was in the
times of her life that weren’t successful, during the “wilderness” times of her
life. You see the same day this article
came out a 6 y/o little girl, Emilee Russell, took her last breath in a hospital
far from her home after suffering complications from Rocky Mountain Spotted
Fever. Her parents and friends walk
closely with God and prayer chains all over the country were lifting this
little girl to God. They prayed for the
same miracle given to the Woman of Nain in Luke chapter 7 when as her only son
was being carried out dead in a coffin Jesus commanded “Young man, I say to you
get up!” and he did. Yet, still yesterday she took her last
breath.
The
Newspaper article could give the wrong impression that as long as you walk
closely with God, bad things will not happen.
I do believe that miracles still happen.
Little Emilee Russell and her family experienced such a miracle when she
and her twin brother were born at 24 weeks and survived. One is left to wonder why her life was spared
then to only be taken now. I’m certain
that the Russell’s and their friends ask the same questions I asked when my
nephew, Jax, was born at 20 weeks, took one breath and died in my brother’s
waiting arms. I’m certain they have the
same question my best friend and her siblings had when their faithful, God
fearing mother was robbed from them by the horrible disease we know of cancer
at the age of 43. Why? Why did I not deserve a miracle and someone
else did. I wonder if King David wondered this when his infant child died in
the book of Samuel. I wonder if the
mother in the Isaiah story of the infant who lived but just a few days had the
same question.
It’s during these times that I remember that
the Bible is full of both stories of heartbreak and stories of great joy. There are no answers in it as to why some
people receive these miracles and why others don’t. Life brings tragedy. God didn’t rob the Russells of their little
precious daughter, Rocky Mountain spotted fever did. God didn’t rob my brother of his precious
son, underdeveloped lungs did. God didn’t
rob my best friend of her mother, cancer did.
I am reminded of an email I received just a
few short weeks ago from the Worship Leader at my former church letting me know
that her husband had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Her husband had seen miracles in his
life. He had “cheated” death twice
already following a near fatal accident and a heart attack. In the email she wrote “we recognize that
everyone has an appointment with death.”
Donnie died a week later, cancer, not God, robbing his family of more
time with him.
Where
is the good News in any of this? The
Good News is that the Jesus, who wept when his friend Lazarus died, weeps with
us in our times of heartache and sorrow.
The Good news is that the same God that was present at his own son’s
untimely death is present with us during the untimely tragedies of our own
lives and he has experienced the same heartache and sorrow that we feel. The God News is that Jesus came and brought
the message of love to a world that desperately needed it and put that love in
the hearts of people so that in these times humanity can surround those who are
victims of tragedy with the Love that indwells within them through Jesus
Christ. The Good News is we have all
read the end of the story and know that death is not the end for us but only the
beginning of New Life. The Good News is
that in the end Jesus has victory over death.
We see that through the witness of the resurrection.
So, what can we do in times like this but
surround a family with that love? Just
as the towns people surrounded Mary and Martha at the death of their brother Lazarus. We weep with them, we provide for them, we
love them with the powerful love of Jesus.
We carry them just as the crippled man’s friends carried him to
Jesus. There will be a miracle. The miracle will be that The Russell’s will
survive this tragedy. They will look on
the other side of this war torn bridge their crossing and say I don’t know how
I did it, but I did. They will make it
to the other side through the prayers, support and love of their friends and
family and through the peace that passes all understanding. I hope Ms. Melton will write stories like
these as well.
