The tears from the other end of the phone nearly obscured the message. And the static in my head declared: “No, this can’t be happening,” momentarily freezing my ability to respond.
Fourteen-year-old Daniel had been hit by a drunk driver while walking with a friend. He had been airlifted to a metropolitan hospital thirty miles north.
Psalm 118:17 became my prayer through the night at the hospital. “Daniel… will not die, but live. And tell of the works of the LORD.”
My faith in God remained firm all night, opposed to the words of the doctors. To the degree that it was difficult to absorb the words from Daniel’s mother seven hours later.
“He’s gone.”
The weight of his death piled on heavier than any I had ever experienced. I was Daniel’s pastor. We’re family—my third cousin. Daniel was my spiritual son. Beyond all, it felt like I had lost a son.
I’m a man of faith, the pastor. Now I have more questions than answers. My faith had been so strong: Daniel will live—“and tell of the works of the LORD.”
Through all, experience has taught me, God will provide answers.
Two hours later I received an e-mail from Bryan Corbin, a writing colleague. He knew nothing of my situation.
These are his words. “I queried the Lord yesterday about the difference between faith and trust—this is what I heard. Faith is what is required to believe in the things we’ve yet to see, while trust is what is required when what we see doesn’t seem to support what we’ve had the faith to believe.”
The answer, the message was clear—trust God. Always.
Psalm 27:13 says: “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
Fourteen-year-old Daniel had been hit by a drunk driver while walking with a friend. He had been airlifted to a metropolitan hospital thirty miles north.
Psalm 118:17 became my prayer through the night at the hospital. “Daniel… will not die, but live. And tell of the works of the LORD.”
My faith in God remained firm all night, opposed to the words of the doctors. To the degree that it was difficult to absorb the words from Daniel’s mother seven hours later.
“He’s gone.”
The weight of his death piled on heavier than any I had ever experienced. I was Daniel’s pastor. We’re family—my third cousin. Daniel was my spiritual son. Beyond all, it felt like I had lost a son.
I’m a man of faith, the pastor. Now I have more questions than answers. My faith had been so strong: Daniel will live—“and tell of the works of the LORD.”
Through all, experience has taught me, God will provide answers.
Two hours later I received an e-mail from Bryan Corbin, a writing colleague. He knew nothing of my situation.
These are his words. “I queried the Lord yesterday about the difference between faith and trust—this is what I heard. Faith is what is required to believe in the things we’ve yet to see, while trust is what is required when what we see doesn’t seem to support what we’ve had the faith to believe.”
The answer, the message was clear—trust God. Always.
Psalm 27:13 says: “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
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