The last few days have been very different than I would have thought. Though I have felt rattled, I have also been comforted by a family memory that took me to the words of Job 1:21 and the goodness of God’s sovereign care and provision. Let me start with the words of Job. The verse read: And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed by the name of the LORD.
From a place of profound grief, Job was inspired to write those words. God had given, but now God had taken away. Job did not know why, but he did know that God was the One who should always be blessed and praised. Though Job did not understand all that was happening, he knew that God’s sovereign care was on display in the combination of God’s giving and taking away.
When I talked with my siblings just after midnight as April 9 became April 10, my older brothers both noted that my mom’s dad was wounded on April 9, 1917, at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in World War 1. I do not know all of the details, but his wounds were serious. He had shrapnel in his left arm for the rest of his life. Though we did not know it, there was a sense that the Lord gave to our family that day. If Grandpa had died that day, we would never have existed. Fast forwarding 106 years, April 9 was the day for God to take away. Even though there is a sense of sadness, we see God’s goodness to my mom and us. She did not want to live anywhere but her home of 61 years. She made that abundantly clear to her children repeatedly over the last 9 years. Mom lived in her home until early Saturday morning when she was taken to the hospital. In God’s sovereign care, He provided for my mom a sweet gift. He gave to her as He took away from us. Though it is beyond weird to be in her home without her, I am grateful to know that God is sovereign. And in His sovereign care and protection, He offers me His comfort. Blessed be the name of the Lord seems like words I need to pray, sing, and shout.