Eternity Will!

I got a call late on Monday night that a basketball coach that I had coached against twice this year and played church league basketball against a few years ago collapsed and died while playing basketball with some of his players.  He was in his late 40’s or early 50’s.  My heart breaks for his family and for his players who experienced that incredible tragedy play out right in front of their eyes.

I know OF this man but I don’t really KNOW him.  We had a few conversations before the games we coached against each other but those conversations were never about anything of substance.  I have been asked to speak to the team, something that I am happy to do, but I am at a loss about what to say.

I have kicked around a bunch of ideas but nothing has moved me, nothing has caused me to say…that is it!  Even as I sit here ideas are flooding my mind.  My eyes have just landed on a book that sits on my desk…The Grave Robber.  I love the book, it was given to me as a gift a couple Christmases ago and I love Mark Batterson, the author.  Let’s see if there might be something of value inside.

I’m back.  Thank you, LORD!  The book opened to page 218…a page I had done some highlighting on when I read it a few years ago.  And at the bottom of the page there is this quote…it is a list that someone made when they were “quarrying the Bible for the goodness of God.”  Listen to what it says…

God is still sovereign no matter what.  He still knows my name.  Angels still respond to his call.  the hearts of rulers still bend at his bidding.  The death of Jesus still saves souls.  The Spirit of God still indwells saints.  Heaven is still only heartbeats away.  The grave is still a temporary housing.  God is still faithful.  He is NOT caught off guard.  He uses everything for his glory and my ultimate good.  He uses tragedy to accomplish his will and his will is right, holy, and perfect.  Sorrow may come with the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

I love it.  But there is more…on the next page I found what I want to share with this team…You cannot let the questions you cannot answer keep you from trusting what you know to be true.

God is good! Jesus is the way, TRUTH, and the life!  Our deepest hurts may never be healed and our hardest questions might never be answered…time certainly doesn’t heal all wounds…but ETERNITY will.