Surrender.

It seems that lately whenever I go on Facebook, I come face to face with tragedy.

First, this young man was struck down on the side of the road and killed.

I knew Emilio long, long ago, when he and Peter were on the same baseball team.  I knew Emilio's mother, who died some years back.  When she was here, she was always smiling and letting me know ahead of time when good sales were coming at The Children's Place where she worked.  

I remember the grief I felt for a happy man and his son who lost this loving woman in their lives, and now that same man has lost his son.  This kind of tragedy boggles the mind in its senselessness.  

I can't even think about the fact that somewhere lives and breathes the person who drove the car in this hit-and-run.  I can only surrender all justice and mercy to the One who is all just and all merciful.

Then came yesterday's car accident and life-flights, and the loss of two young daughters.  

I have never met the Lewis family, but being part of the University of Dallas community guarantees that I know a fair amount of people who do know these parents and their children.

Again, my feeble brain cannot make sense of such events. Wildly, I start to calculate the amount of tragedy in my life and wonder why some people get far more than a fair share.

Then I remember in this fallen world, that nothing is fair.  Nothing can be understood, or overcome by a weak and damaged human alone.  

All that is left is surrender.  Surrender to trusting that God IS Love.  That God IS always with us.  That should these senseless things happen again, and they will, God WILL be there. 

Times like these force one to become like the little child, trusting without understanding.  And so we pray for the grieving, pray that they know God is with them.  Emmanuel.

Donations for the Lewis family can be made here.