“Why, God? Why?”

By Gillis Killam –

In meeting with some of my not-yet Believer friends, the conversation inevitably turns to some horrible crime that was committed, or some accident that claimed the lives of young people who still had their lives ahead of them.

Theirs are questions we all have; but it is interesting how people blame God in difficult times when they have never before acknowledged Him. In their anxiety, they look for other answers only to find that no one can answer the questions to their satisfaction.

If one doesn’t believe the Bible, then there is no answer. However, the Bible gives many answers and, of course, there are things known only to God. The scripture says, “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29 KJV).

So we don’t know all the answers to why tragedies happen. In His wisdom He has kept some things from us; but we do know that God has a design for every life and it is our responsibility to discover what He wants us to be and do. It is not for us to question the Creator, for He is from eternity and we are in time where everything in this life comes to an end. He sees time and its ultimate outcome from His view, not from our limited reality. We can’t understand why a godly person dies and a wicked person lives out his life span. Isaiah gives one answer that I think applies to all.

“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).

The wise man in Ecclesiastes said this after surveying the things we can’t fathom, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NIV).

Prayer: O God, I don’t know why there are tragedies in life, but I do know that You know best.

Living a Life that Counts

By Gillis Killam –

Recently my sister passed away. Rhoda was the youngest of my three sisters. My wife and I traveled to Atlantic Canada for her memorial. I knew I would be giving a tribute to her, but found out later that I was also to lead the service and bring the sermon. I had been away from where she lived for many years, and although we visited from time to time, there wasn’t the connection I would like to have had.

She was not a well-known person outside of her family, friends and neighbors. By the world’s estimation she had no great accomplishments, nor was she considered a famous person; but she lived for what really counted in life. She lived for her family and they were there at her death-bed before she went home to be with her Lord. She had poured her life into those that God had given her; but I didn’t realize the profound impact she had on her neighbors and friends down through the years. One after another, people came to me and told me of her gentle care and love of helping others.

The life that counts is one that lives and cares in practical ways for others. This is what people will remember. It’s what our family, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, friends and neighbors remember. The things she learned from Mom and Dad she passed on to the next generation.

Solomon wrote to his son: “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck” (Proverbs 1:8-9 NIV).

As I listened to the tributes to my sister given by her son and a granddaughter, I thought of these words, “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:28 NIV).

QUOTE: “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:21).

Prayer: O God, Help me to be a good and faithful servant honoring You and helping others. AMEN

Signs on Life’s Road

By Gil Killam –

My wife and I were travelling by car through the Rocky Mountains in BC listening to a radio talk show when we heard this story:

A woman phoned into a talk show and asked why the signs of warning for animal crossings were placed in that location. The talk show host answered, “I think they are there to tell motorists to be careful not to kill the wildlife.”

She said, “I mean, why do they put them in the places where there is heavy traffic?” She went on to say that they need to put them in places where there was less traffic so the animals could see that was a safe place to cross the road. Incredibly, she was serious! We laughed! This conversation went viral on YouTube.

As we continued on our journey, I began look at the many signs we were passing: moose crossing, slow, stop, rough road, bridge out, slippery surface, curve, steep hill, blind driveway, detour, dead end, hiking, skiing, road narrows, construction, two way signs, uneven road conditions, flag man, stop, road washout, exit, information, food, motel, merge, speed limit, icy road, no stopping, obey all signs, fallen rock on highway, blind hill, driveway, bed & breakfast, police, lookout site, etc. These signs are for us! Many of these could apply to life’s road.

These signs were not there to make our trip miserable but to protect us from danger and wrong decisions. To ignore them could be disastrous. If we think about it each one of these signs could apply to signs on our life journey. For example, when we feel tiredness it may be that God is telling us we need to “slow down” or “stop”. When we see a sign of “slippery surface”, we need to take heed. God by his Holy Spirit cautions us to watch for dangers in the road we are taking.

When the Pharisees & Sadducees were asking for a sign, Jesus replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:1-3 NIV). In the book of Matthew, Chapter 24, Jesus gave many signs to look for that indicate His second coming to earth so that we would be ready to meet Him.

God has given us all kinds of signs that point us in the right direction, stop us from going down the wrong road, or protect us from danger: we should therefore take heed. The handbook for a safe and successful journey in life is the Bible.

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