Aug 29, 2021
“Life Is Hard… God Is Good.”
8-30-21
This week I called upon my personal prayer partners (not a closed group – adv.) to lift up a family of friends whose 16-year-old son had died suddenly of a brain aneurysm. Since I might minister in words in a small way, I also coveted prayers to fight through the fog of grief and anguish.
Christians never play one-upmanship in these circumstances, but a shared experience can be a palliative. A dear friend in Colorado has endured much, and wrote the line I use as the title of this essay. Actually her words were: “I am praying. I’ve written obituaries for my son, my daughter, my step mom, and now my little brother this year…. God is good but yes, life is terribly hard.”
The order of words has a shadow of meaning, but only as we recognize reflections of what our emotions see in our moments. Life is real, Longfellow wrote; life is earnest. But life ain’t nohow permanent, as Pogo Possum said. That is, God is eternal, and we are pilgrims and strangers passing through this world.
(Longfellow’s full quatrain was: “Life is real! Life is earnest! / And the grave is not its goal / Dust thou art, to dust thou returnest, / Was not spoken of the soul.”)
The service for Nehemiah, my young friend who died, was held this morning, as I write this. It was impressive and ultimately uplifting, as all “homegoing” services should be. A celebration. Nehemeiah is, after all, in the arms of Jesus – which was the fervent young believer’s goal and destination in his life.
Are we touched by irony? The degree of sadness and grief we experience when loved ones die, technically is selfish, no? We miss them; we think of what they could have been, where they might have traveled; we have only memories.
Well, these are not anomalies except in relation to our poor power to calibrate our lives to the ways of a God who loves us outrageously and with a depth and in ways we cannot fathom. But I am struck by another irony – speaking very personally, and asking your indulgence as I share theological questions during these days. AND I think, at the same time, of those lives lost in an instant in faraway Afghanistan.
Christians often speak at times like this of God “taking someone home,” and “God’s timing,” and “God’s purposes.” Speaking very personally, forgive me, but sometimes I wonder whether we occasionally give the devil a pass at certain moments. God welcomes His beloved home, of course. But “taking” them is something I struggle with.
It is the evil one who roams about as a roaring lion, seeking whom to kill and destroy and devour. There is evil in the world, the cause of sickness and disease, death and heartache. To acknowledge that a sovereign God “allows” things is a world of difference from what unfortunately many people persuade themselves to believe, especially in certain moments, that God ordains terrible things.
Theology that challenges us. But it is more useful – and correct, I believe – to rather turn to a proper exegesis of Romans 8:28: All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Yes, we must love God; yes, we must be attuned to His call on our lives. But this verse does NOT say that all things ARE good. Plainly, many things in life are not good – from a teen’s brain aneurysm to military personnel being killed by a car bomb as they help people escape to freedom. But it is our job to make all things work for good… for God’s glory; to the devil’s disgrace; to serve Jesus in the midst of trials. It is not the number of our days, but what we do in them, that matters. Jesus sacrificed all He had for us!
Yes, life is hard. But, yes, God is good.
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One of many uplifting moments in the service occurred when the question was asked, how many youth belonged to Bible Bee (a nationwide club and movement that challenges youth to memorize Scripture), as Nehemiah was a member. Perhaps 200 teens came forward, and sang a hymn. Joyfully.
Hope for tomorrow? Yes! How many communities have a young population with such spiritual dedication and commitment?
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I cannot fail to add – addressing sudden deaths at any age and by whatever cause – that we all must be ready at all times. Ready to receive salvation. Life is real; life is earnest, yes. This is a song (written in 1894) with a grim but loving reminder about our very lives being at stake. A few words from it… and please listen to the full vid clip:
I dreamed that the great judgment morning Had dawned and the trumpet had blown. I dreamed that the nations had gathered, To judgment before the White Throne.
And oh, what weeping and wailing As the lost were told of their fate, They cried for the rocks and the mountains, They prayed, but their prayers were too late
The great man was there, but his greatness When death came, was left far behind. The angel that opened the records, No trace of his greatness could find.
And the souls that had put off salvation Said “Not tonight, I’ll get saved by and by. No time now to think of religion” – But at last they’d found time to die.
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Click: The Great Judgment Morning
As always, thank you for sharing your thoughts, Rick, especially as you feel the sting of death once again.
Rick,
Your thoughts about death are profound! The baptized believer being welcomed by God into His Kingdom begins in Holy Baptism and is confirmed by each moment of humble faith joyous belief. In this way we can understand the the Lord’s “final calling” on our biographical journey. But coupled withnthat is His undeniable final judgement of who and what we are, culmunating in the Final Judgement at God’s ending of time. One of the oldest hymns, or sequences of the Western Church for the Liturgy of Christian Burial is the “Dies irae”, a hymn seldom heard or sung today, but paraphrased and musically adapted by countless composers ever since the 16th Century Reformation. For example, a well-known German hymn, “Es ist gewisslich an der Zeit” (“The Day is surely drawing near”) is sung even today, and was incorporated by Johann Sebastian Bach in his cantatas. Very intersting notes about the Dies irae can be read in Wikipedia. One of these notes is about the inspiration for this hymn:
“A major inspiration of the hymn seems to have come from the Vulgate translation of Zephaniah 1:15–16:
Dies iræ, dies illa, dies tribulationis et angustiæ, dies calamitatis et miseriæ, dies tenebrarum et caliginis, dies nebulæ et turbinis, dies tubæ et clangoris super civitates munitas et super angulos excelsos.
That day is a day of wrath, a day of tribulation and distress, a day of calamity and misery, a day of darkness and obscurity, a day of clouds and whirlwinds, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high bulwarks. (Douay–Rheims Bible)
Other images come from the Book of Revelation, such as Revelation 20:11–15 (the book from which the world will be judged), Matthew 25:31–46 (sheep and goats, right hand, contrast between the blessed and the accursed doomed to flames), 1Thessalonians 4:16 (trumpet), 2Peter 3:7 (heaven and earth burnt by fire), and Luke 21:26 (“men fainting with fear… they will see the Son of Man coming”).
From the Jewish liturgy, the prayer Unetanneh Tokef appears to be related: “We shall ascribe holiness to this day, For it is awesome and terrible”; “the great trumpet is sounded”, etc.”
Included in the article is the original text with two English versions, as follows:
Stanza Original Approved adaptation Formal equivalence
I
Dies iræ, dies illa,
Solvet sæclum in favilla:
Teste David cum Sibylla.
Day of wrath! O day of mourning!
See fulfilled the prophets’ warning,
Heaven and earth in ashes burning!
The day of wrath, that day,
will dissolve the world in ashes:
David being witness along with the Sibyl.
II
Quantus tremor est futurus,
Quando Iudex est venturus,
Cuncta stricte discussurus!
Oh, what fear man’s bosom rendeth,
When from heaven the Judge descendeth,
On whose sentence all dependeth.
How great will be the quaking,
when the Judge is about to come,
strictly investigating all things!
III
Tuba, mirum spargens sonum
Per sepulchra regionum,
Coget omnes ante thronum.
Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;
Through earth’s sepulchres it ringeth;
All before the throne it bringeth.
The trumpet, scattering a wondrous sound
through the sepulchres of the regions,
will summon all before the throne.
IV
Mors stupebit, et natura,
Cum resurget creatura,
Iudicanti responsura.
Death is struck, and nature quaking,
All creation is awaking,
To its Judge an answer making.
Death and nature will marvel,
when the creature will rise again,
to respond to the Judge.
V
Liber scriptus proferetur,
In quo totum continetur,
Unde mundus iudicetur.
Lo, the book, exactly worded,
Wherein all hath been recorded,
Thence shall judgement be awarded.
The written book will be brought forth,
in which all is contained,
from which the world shall be judged.
VI
Iudex ergo cum sedebit,
Quidquid latet, apparebit:
Nil inultum remanebit.
When the Judge his seat attaineth,
And each hidden deed arraigneth,
Nothing unavenged remaineth.
When therefore the Judge will sit,
whatever lies hidden, will appear:
nothing will remain unpunished.
VII
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus,
Cum vix iustus sit securus?
What shall I, frail man, be pleading?
Who for me be interceding,
When the just are mercy needing?
What then shall I, poor wretch [that I am], say?
Which patron shall I entreat,
when [even] the just may [only] hardly be sure?
VIII
Rex tremendæ maiestatis,
Qui salvandos salvas gratis,
Salva me, fons pietatis.
King of Majesty tremendous,
Who dost free salvation send us,
Fount of pity, then befriend us!
King of fearsome majesty,
Who gladly save those fit to be saved,
save me, O fount of mercy.
IX
Recordare, Iesu pie,
Quod sum causa tuæ viæ:
Ne me perdas illa die.
Think, kind Jesu! – my salvation
Caused Thy wondrous Incarnation;
Leave me not to reprobation.
Remember, merciful Jesus,
that I am the cause of Your journey:
lest You lose me in that day.
X
Quærens me, sedisti lassus:
Redemisti Crucem passus:
Tantus labor non sit cassus.
Faint and weary, Thou hast sought me,
On the Cross of suffering bought me.
Shall such grace be vainly brought me?
Seeking me, You rested, tired:
You redeemed [me], having suffered the Cross:
let not such hardship be in vain.
XI
Iuste Iudex ultionis,
Donum fac remissionis
Ante diem rationis.
Righteous Judge, for sin’s pollution
Grant Thy gift of absolution,
Ere the day of retribution.
Just Judge of vengeance,
make a gift of remission
before the day of reckoning.
XII
Ingemisco, tamquam reus:
Culpa rubet vultus meus:
Supplicanti parce, Deus.
Guilty, now I pour my moaning,
All my shame with anguish owning;
Spare, O God, Thy suppliant groaning!
I sigh, like the guilty one:
my face reddens in guilt:
Spare the imploring one, O God.
XIII
Qui Mariam absolvisti,
Et latronem exaudisti,
Mihi quoque spem dedisti.
Through the sinful woman shriven,
Through the dying thief forgiven,
Thou to me a hope hast given.
You Who absolved Mary,
and heard the robber,
gave hope to me also.
XIV
Preces meæ non sunt dignæ:
Sed tu bonus fac benigne,
Ne perenni cremer igne.
Worthless are my prayers and sighing,
Yet, good Lord, in grace complying,
Rescue me from fires undying.
My prayers are not worthy:
but You, [Who are] good, graciously grant
that I be not burned up by the everlasting fire.
XV
Inter oves locum præsta,
Et ab hædis me sequestra,
Statuens in parte dextra.
With Thy sheep a place provide me,
From the goats afar divide me,
To Thy right hand do Thou guide me.
Grant me a place among the sheep,
and take me out from among the goats,
setting me on the right side.
XVI
Confutatis maledictis,
Flammis acribus addictis,
Voca me cum benedictis.
When the wicked are confounded,
Doomed to flames of woe unbounded,
Call me with Thy saints surrounded.
Once the cursed have been silenced,
sentenced to acrid flames,
Call me, with the blessed.
XVII
Oro supplex et acclinis,
Cor contritum quasi cinis:
Gere curam mei finis.
Low I kneel, with heart’s submission,
See, like ashes, my contrition,
Help me in my last condition.
[Humbly] kneeling and bowed I pray,
[my] heart crushed as ashes:
take care of my end.
XVIII
Lacrimosa dies illa,
Qua resurget ex favílla
Iudicandus homo reus:
Huic ergo parce, Deus:
Ah! that day of tears and mourning,
From the dust of earth returning
Man for judgement must prepare him,
Spare, O God, in mercy spare him.
Tearful [will be] that day,
on which from the glowing embers will arise
the guilty man who is to be judged:
Then spare him, O God.
XIX
Pie Iesu Domine,
Dona eis requiem. Amen.
Lord, all-pitying, Jesus blest,
Grant them Thine eternal rest. Amen.
Merciful Lord Jesus,
grant them rest. Amen.
“The Great Judgement Morning”, the song you cited at the end of your deeply meaningful article, reminds me of the Dies irae and the message it conveys.
Blessings and strength to you, Rick!
Many greetings from across the Pond.
John
Thank you, John, God bless you for these thoughtful comments. But for my views of baptism as an ordinance and not a sacrament (we will have much to talk about when I get to Germany!) I am profoundly grateful for your response and the serious matters we address.
(Maybe you saw my comments last week, and the “Lacrimosa” section of Mozart’s great Requiem as the music video…)
Mr. Marschall,
Thank you for sharing what the Lord has laid upon your heart. It was very touching and so very true. The song at the end brings me to tears as the lyrics are so powerful yet beautifully written and delivered.
May the Lord continue to bless you and inspire you through writing.
Christine E. Eves