Will God Fulfill His Purpose for Us?
Last year, I attended two funerals of young people, one of a college senior and another of a three-month-old infant. Both of their lives have forever changed mine. When I heard the news each time, I grieved. Their deaths felt unnecessary and tragic, and as I watched their families mourn, I wanted to fix it. I wondered why God hadn't.
As I entered each funeral, I wanted to scream, WHY!? Why now? Why them? Why didn't God prevent this?
The service for Wynn was packed as over a thousand people flooded the church to honor the UNC student who loved Jesus and lived life with more intentionality and joy than most people ever do. In the months since her funeral, I've kept the memorial program on my desk, praying for her family, encouraged by her life. She’d given a speech at her former elementary school's graduation in which she said:
"I also want to encourage you to root for others. Nothing feels better than doing something for someone else. When I went to orientation at UNC about a year ago, my dad sent me a text that I will never forget. He said, "Have fun and look out for the lonely people." Have fun and look out for the lonely people. That is exactly what I want to encourage and challenge you to do over the next years of your life.
No matter what you are doing, always make sure you're having fun. Don't just focus on yourself, though. Be on the lookout for others too. If someone is sitting alone in the cafeteria next year, invite them to sit with you. If you see someone at the pool by themselves, go introduce yourself. If someone doesn't have a group in class, invite them to be in yours. You have no idea how much simply noticing someone will mean to that person.
One invitation, one meal with someone, one gesture may not be a big deal to you, but the love and kindness you show surely can change someone's life."
Look out for the lonely people. What a beautiful exhortation for all of us. At Wynn’s service, testimony after testimony affirmed this young woman who loved fiercely, considered others better than herself and continually looked out for the lonely people. After hearing the way that Wynn lived, I was moved to live my life with more intentionality, and to look out for the lonely people wherever I am.
At the visitation of baby Bea, my friend Sally said that she was assured that the word that the Lord had spoken over her precious grandchild's life had been fulfilled. Through tears, she spoke with unswerving confidence, comforted that God's purpose in Bea's life, determined before she even took her first breath, was fulfilled. God alone fulfills his purpose for us (Psalm 57:2), which is enormously comforting to realize – not only for this little one but for everyone we know who has died long before we thought they should have. All those people, in Christ, lived every day that God had ordained for them.
Sally’s words were still on my mind when the priest walked up to the podium. I wasn't sure what he'd say about a child so young, and so I thumbed through the program and looked around, half listening. But as he began to speak, I was stunned by the profundity and depth of his simple message. He began, "There is so much that we do not know and understand in this situation. So many questions are still unanswered and unanswerable. But rather than dwell on those unknowns, we must focus on what we know." He went on to talk about how much Jesus loved this little one. She was loved from before she was born and loved by her family every day that she had breath.
Those words, that perspective, was a balm to my own wounds. After my infant son's death, I remember reliving his last days over and over. His doctor had impulsively taken him off his heart medicine, and a friend who was a pediatric cardiologist advised me that decision was a mistake. He urged me to get his medication straightened out immediately, but it was Friday afternoon and the doctor's office had closed. I left a message and decided to wait until Monday because I wasn't sure what to say at the ER if I took him. He died late Sunday night. A million "what-ifs" ran through my mind – was this all my fault? Why hadn't I heeded the warning?
Focus on what we know. That is an important reminder when we have more questions than answers. God bids us to focus on what we know and not obsess about what we don't know. The unknown and unknowable can consume us. Why? What if? If only. Asking those questions, dwelling on the past, regretting our decisions, only brings heartache, remorse, and regret with no hope.
Focus on what we know.
What we know is rock solid. It is much more important than what we don't know. We know that God loved Wynn and Bea. More than their parents could. We know that God fulfilled his purpose for their lives. We know that they lived every day that God had ordained for them. That they were never separated from the love of Christ. We know they are ecstatically happy in heaven with Jesus. We know our lives are better because they lived. We know that they beautifully demonstrated the chief end of man, which is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Both of their lives glorified God, and we know they are in heaven, where they will enjoy him forever. And one day, we who love Christ will join them.
These life-giving truths, these promises from God, are more important than anything we don't know. Everyone in Christ, no matter when we die, will have fulfilled God's purposes for us. We know that He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. (Phil 1:6) God himself guarantees that. Whether we die young or old. Whether we feel that we've accomplished what we've wanted to or not. Whether our death is expected or unexpected. No one will die until their work on earth is done. And then we will hear those long-awaited, precious words, "Well done good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your master." (Matt 25:21)