There's a story of an airliner that was rolling and lurching in a violent storm. The passengers sat silently and glumly with seat belts fastened.
Suddenly the door to the cockpit opened and the captain emerged wearing a parachute, and announced to the passengers: "Everyone keep calm; I'm going for help!"
That would sort of make you lose your faith in the pilot. Some people have claimed they lost their faith in God in a similar way. When the going got rough, they felt like God had bailed out on them.
There are times in life when we wonder if God really cares. If God really cares, why doesn't He prevent some of the terrible things that happen in the world? Why didn't God prevent the Holocaust? And what about individuals such who are killed tragically in auto accidents or sudden illnesses? Does God care? The answers depend on our expectations. If we expect God to be like Superman who would squash the Hitler's of the world, then we'll be disappointed.
A better understanding of God is found in the Bible. We sometimes need to be reminded that God usually works through people. The best example was the way God worked through the life of Christ. God works through human flesh. Peter could say in I Peter 5:7, "God cares about you," because he knew Jesus cared.
Bob Greene, in an article in the Chicago Tribune, tells the story of Douglas Maurer, 15, of Creve Coeur, Mo. Douglas had been feeling bad for several days. His temperature was ranging between 103 and 105 degrees, and he was suffering from severe flue-like symptoms. Finally, his mother took him to the hospital in St. Louis. He was diagnosed as having leukemia.
The doctors told Douglas in frank terms about his disease. They said that for the next three years, he would have to undergo chemotherapy. They didn't sugarcoat the side effects. They told Douglas he would go bald and that his body would most likely bloat. Upon learning this, he went into a deep depression.
His aunt called a floral shop to send Douglas an arrangement of flowers. She told the clerk that it was for her teenage nephew who has leukemia. The flowers were beautiful. Douglas read the card from his aunt. Then he saw a second card. It said, "Douglas -- I took your order. I work at Brix floral shop. I had leukemia when I was seven years old. I'm 22 years old now. Good luck. My heart goes out to you. Sincerely, Laura Bradley"
His face lit up. He said "Oh!"
It's funny: Douglas Maurer was in a hospital filled with millions of dollars of the most sophisticated medical equipment. He was being treated by expert doctors and nurses with medical training totaling in the hundreds of years. But it was a sales clerk in a flower shop, who by taking the time to care gave Douglas hope and the will to carry on.
Prayer: Our Lord, remind us of the privilege and opportunity to show your caring love. Amen.
The Rev. Dan Safarik serves St. Luke United Methodist Church in Lincoln. E-mail him at stluke@inebraska.com.
