Tragedy in the Midst of Beauty
October 23, 2022 by Gil Killam
Filed under Daily Devotions
By Gillis Killam –
While flying over the Rocky Mountains from Prince George, BC to Vancouver, I was awed again by the beauty of snow-covered mountains. I saw intriguing designs in the drifts of snow carved out by the winds over the mountains that stood majestically like large pyramids perfectly formed in the snow. Few, if any, were the marks of man’s traverse in this area as it is so rugged and vast.
I thought of my Creator God who, with his fingers, designed the world with so much beauty and design that caused me to gaze in wonder.
As I looked down through the clouds rolling by the plane’s windows, at times blinding me to the view below, I was reminded of a tragic accident that took place some years ago near to where I was now flying. A group of three people was on a small Cessna plane flying up the Island from Victoria to minister in a church. They never arrived. The pilot must have been disoriented flying through thick clouds, and mistakenly thought he was still over the Island, when he was actually flying over the Mainland Mountains. He flew directly into a mountain and all perished.
We all ask the question, “Why?” It’s a question we all ask when tragedies of various kinds happen to people we know. We don’t know the answer to the “Why” of this tragedy that took two young people and the pilot, who were so committed to the Lord. However, the good news is that they went home to be with the Lord because each had given their life to Christ and God wanted them home with Him.
A scripture that my wife often refers to in times like these is:
“The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death” (Isaiah 57:1-2 NIV).
What seems a tragedy to us as believers really is not something out of God’s control. Charles Spurgeon once said, “When the time comes for you to die, you need not be afraid, because death cannot separate you from God’s love.”
Prayer: Thank you Lord, you know best, and our times are in your hands. Amen.
Gil Killam was born in New Brunswick, Canada and served as pastor in 4 pastorates in Saskatchewan & Alberta, Canada. Gil is married to his wife Lorna and they have 5 children, 14 Grandchildren and 5 great grand children. He is a graduate of Eston College with a Bachelor of Biblical Studies degree. He also served President of his denomination. Gil enjoys golfing and reading in his spare time.