O LORD, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.

Psalm 139:1-12

By God’s design, our children have a specific number of days to live, just as we do. It is not for us to question when God calls them home. Whenever the call comes, we should trust that we will find comfort from God in His words. The death of those close to us could rob us of our trust in God – taking with it our reason for living. But God’s unfathomable plan for the universe and His redemptive work continue, and we must honor our loved ones by holding on to His hand. We must trust God as we trust the great reunion He has planned for us.

Don’t let tragedy steal your trust in God.

Our Daily Bread – April 28, 2004