My brother & sisters in Christ are in my thoughts & prayers. Earlier this week they lost a mother & grand-mother. I will never pretend to know God's timing in these matters. I do know that it was NOT God's original will for His beloved creatures to die. SEE Genesis chapter 3. Before getting too huffy about Adam & Eve, you have to admit that the chance to become like God would be a temptation that would lead all of us to fall.

I lost both of my parents within four months of each other. I know how that feel, & there are still times when my emotions bubble up to the surface. It may be a nostalgic memory of a family vacation. It may be a hymn sung on Sunday morning. Yet I will never pretend to know how a parent's death affects anyone else.

Where does that leave us? It leaves us with what the Bible promises. We have a God who rose from the dead. Our Savior defeated death by trampling over death. One day we, too, will see our Redeemer face-to-face. There is a heaven. There will be a resurrection. There will be a joyful reunion. 

When we're left with more questions than answers, we put our hope & trust in our Savior. We grieve, but we do not mourn as those who have no hope.