God is Good.... but all of the time?

Have you ever cried so much that you start to feel sick to your stomach? Or your head begins to hurt? After receiving the news of Tami's death this afternoon and attending a packed-out funeral tonight, my head throbs as my stomach continues to turn. So many tears have been shed over the span of a week. And not just mine, a community of people impacted by the lives of Jorge Terrazas and Tami Matsusita. If you could collect ever tear that has fallen since last Thursday, I'm almost certain there could actually be rain in Lima. For weeks. For those of you reading along that are completely confused and those who are starting to regret reading this because of the dark cloud that seems to have settled over your computer, allow me to explain. I promise it gets better.

Last Wednesday our school staff set out for our annual retreat to kick off another school year. It wasn't long before hugs and stories of each other's summer vacations quickly turned to sobs and an evening of sobering silence. A beloved friend and favored teacher passed away unexpectedly from a hiking accident Thursday afternoon. We returned from our trip early with heavy hearts.
The funeral was something beautiful. His wife and 3 daughters glowed, though they were fighting back tears. There was a peace and joy exuding from them that could only be explained by a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Friday afternoon, a midst the chaos from the day before, the news began to spread about Tami. A soon-to-be 9th grade student at LMCS, she and her mom became victims of a severe car accident, leaving her mom disfigured and Tami in a coma. The days that followed were filled with prayers, hospital visits and words of hope as we all waited for Tami to wake up.
Today the nightmare continued. Teachers curiously entered the school's main building for an unscheduled- but required- meeting. Hoping against the worst, we received the news that Tami had died.

For some reason, I didn't think it would be as hard as it is. I had only known both of them for a short year and a half, but the impact of it all caught up with me tonight. Life is fragile and it is not up to us to decide when we will leave this world. Whether you're 63 or 15, your life is not your own.

I was reading in 2 Samuel when King David lost his newborn son. He prayed and prayed that God would heal him, but when He didn't, David immediately went to the temple to worship the Lord. You see, God's character doesn't change based upon our circumstances. However, often times our convictions about who God is largely stems from how we feel.

               Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

    WORSHIP the Lord with gladness;

    come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

    It is he who made us, and WE ARE HIS;

    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

 

For the Lord is GOOD and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The Lord is good. The Lord is sovereign. The Lord is faithful. I don't know many songs by Laura Story, but this one in particular has been replaying over in my head for days now. I hope everyone who has read this will take the time to consider the gift of life, but also the question of eternity. If it were not for Jesus, there would be no hope. I would still be destined for a place far worse than any pain here on earth. God's love is incredible; the choice is ours. If there were ever a time to surrender your life to the Lord, it would be now. 

Jorge Terrazas

Tami Matsusita