If you live in West Cobb, then you probably heard about the death of Rajaan Bennett. Rajaan was a smart, caring, and gifted student athlete, a senior at McEachern High School. With a Vandy football scholarship in hand, Rajaan was about to leave difficult circumstances behind and enjoy a bright future for years to come. All that ended on February 18th when the boyfriend of Rajaan’s mother killed him.
An entire community grieved for Rajaan and the tragic ending to his life. My heart still aches for his mother. And when situations like his arise, I think… ‘Why does God allow this stuff?’ But then I remember that “God’s ways are not my ways” (Isaiah 55:8). In fact, when we try to look at life from God’s perspective, we usually see a very different picture. For example, Rajaan became a follower of Jesus through the ministry of an FCA missionary. (btw… WCC helped sponsor this missionary.) And even though we grieve when someone dies, for believers death is the beginning, not the end. Isaiah 57 actually calls death a reward from God, as God spares us from more evil.
Now jump for a moment to today’s story about Gideon – another time when I don’t understand God’s ways. You tell me. Do God’s army recruiting techniques make sense to you, turning away able-bodied recruits??? What’s God thinking?
But let’s face it. God’s like that. He sees life so differently than me and you. Our earthly goals and daily worries keep us from understanding why God works the way He does, especially in tragedy. God can do more with less??? Death is the beginning??? God brings good out of the most awful situations??? Come on… do we really buy that stuff?
My heart aches for Rajaan’s family and friends, as they deal with a tragedy that makes no earthly sense. But I want to be more like Gideon, trusting God especially when life doesn’t make sense. Here’s what I’m learning… God’s ways are not only different than my ways; they’re better. And when I join Rajaan in heaven, I’ll understand why.
What’s God saying to you through this passage?
