Trust God in the dark until the light returns. – A. W. Tozer

I find it devastating that mass shootings are becoming so normal they only make headlines when they break records. That some lives end way too tragically and way too soon. That when wild animals and small children collide, our collective grief becomes opinionated and divisive before the dust even settles or the boats even dock.

It’s summer and the sun is shining hard and hot but news this week has been dark and suffocating. With the darkness comes the hard questions: “Why does God allow it?” “Why should I follow that kind of God?”

Our questions echo back to us hollow – as if we’re in a cave.

In the Bible (John 11) there’s a story about a friend of Jesus named Lazarus who died and was buried in a cave.

Lazarus’ family and Jesus’ disciples have the same questions of Jesus that we have: “Where have you been and what are you doing and why did you let this happen?”

Right in the middle of the story, Jesus offers up a seemingly unrelated elementary school science lesson:

“There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” – John 11:9-10

A bunch of other conversations happen (Read John 11, it will make you think!).

Then at the end of the story, Jesus stood at the entrance of the cave and shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”

…and he did.

In the light of this world it’s easy to see as long as everything makes sense, but tragedy is senseless; it leaves us in the dark. Thankfully, there is a light that’s not of this world.

The questions we ask of God are very real and very appropriate. Keep asking! God knows our hearts. God knows our questions. God wants to have the conversation with us. Jesus himself asked the same questions once, right before he was crucified and buried in his own cave.

I think God is always at the entrance of the cave, and he’s always shouting or asking or whispering or singing or laughing, “Come out!”

After all he’s been there and he knows the way.

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” – John 8:12