Why Bad Things Happen & God's Promise: Finding Hope After the Washington Air Disaster (Luke 13)
“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’” Luke 13:1-3
We have mourned, as a nation, at the loss of life in the air disaster this week in Washington. Reverend Trimpe and I were in Dallas, Texas, this week attending the ECO National Gathering when we heard the news. As usual, the National Gathering was stimulating and encouraging. Our denomination continues to thrive as it seeks to give witness to the gospel, grow healthy churches, and live out the good news faithfully. But Thursday morning we both had to get on an airplane to return home. Under the circumstances, the prospects made me more nervous than usual, especially because we might have to take off in the rain.
Why do bad things happen to good people? This is an age-old and difficult question. We will not know the reason for this crash for some time. Investigators will pour over the wreckage and flight recorders carefully before issuing a report. The chances are there will be some level of human error involved. The lack of visibility at night may have played a role. Perhaps there was some piece of available technology that was not in use. The busyness of the airport may have put planes and helicopters in too-close proximity. Propelling 20- to 200-ton airplanes into the air, as we do thousands of times every day, is inherently dangerous. It may also turn out that there was an element of unfortunate bad luck involved.
Our hearts break for the people whose lives were lost and the families affected. Every one of the sixty-four airline passengers and three helicopter crew members was someone with family, aspirations, and stories. Some of the passengers were athletes associated with U.S. figure skating. Several young people and their parents were onboard. Several people from overseas were on the flight. Three were serving in our armed forces. Many of the adults had children, some of them young.
We do not have easy answers when tragedies happen. What we have is a promise. The promise is that God will not leave us or forsake us. As Paul says, there is nothing in life or death that can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39). God is able to bring good, even from evil, though we cannot always see how that might happen.
When Jesus was asked about a particular tragedy, he used it as a teaching moment. A group of Galilean pilgrims had been killed by Pontius Pilate. Jesus warned against thinking about such things as God’s divine punishment. Instead, such instances remind us that we should repent. We are not promised tomorrow, only today. We should keep our accounts in balance and be ready to stand before God when called.
In the TSA pre-check line, a young man heard Deb and me talking about the ECO conference. He was from the church where the conference had met. When we got through the line, he said, “I know this may seem odd, but could I speak to you both for a moment?” We walked over to a quiet spot. As it turned out, he worked for American Airlines and was on his way to Wichita, Kansas, to extend sympathy and comfort to the families who had lost loved ones. He asked us to pray for him, which we did, right there in the airport. He was very appreciative and hugged us both. He was going into a difficult situation and knew he needed God’s help.
When we do not know what else to do, we can pray. When you think of it, lift up these families in your prayers. Pray that where there is great grief, there will be great grace.