"God is Good"

Last week, Jacob conducted his sixth funeral since moving here nine months ago. The month before we arrived, there were three deaths within the same family, three days in a row. The causes are varied: cancer, other health complications, construction accident, alcohol poisoning/exposure, miscarriage at 6 months, stillborn baby. Only a few years before we arrived here, Savoonga had the highest rate of suicides in Alaska. Death is no stranger to the people here. During a recent Women's Bible Study, the question was raised, "How do we continue to have joy when bad things happen?" One woman replied, "My husband was killed in an accident when my daughter was just a baby. Years later, both of my sons died. This was very hard for me, but God is good." Time and again since living here, I have heard people share heart wrenching stories of losing loved ones and almost every person has ended their story with "But God is good." I haven't heard one person display any hint of anger towards God for these often tragic and seemingly unfair events, rather they thank God for providing for them during these times and for helping them carry on. Their faith and attitudes have been quite humbling for me. A few days ago, a woman visited with me and our conversation led to the remembering of the 3 deaths in a row this past summer...one death was of her little sister. She said, "But I'm hanging in there. It's not easy, but there's nothing else we can do. I tell people, `You need to pray and trust God.'" This morning, I read the following passage from Isaiah 41:27-31: "Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, `My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God'? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increaes the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strengh. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." After reading this passage, I realized that it is verses such as these that the people I wrote of above cling to. They seem to have an intimate understanding of the power and vastness of God. We do not understand why seemingly bad things happen, but we do understand and know that "God is good" and if we cling to that understanding, He will carry us through what we don't understand.