Why All This Suffering And Death? - Luke 13:2-3

   
And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. - Luke 13:2-3

    If any of us have lived long enough we have undoubtedly lost loved ones, be they family or friends. Sometimes those losses have come by way of tragic circumstances, natural disasters, or disease. Inevitably we will hear two incessant questions to the loss of that loved one. The first that comes to mind is - “What did he or she do that caused this tragic death?” The second is almost always, “Why? Why did this loved one have to die?”
    Obviously, unless the deceased led a risky lifestyle we may simply never know the cause of death other than the curse of Genesis 3. “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” - Genesis 3:19. This was a general curse to mankind. Because as Romans 6:23 tells us - “For the wages of sin is death.” But God not only cursed Adam and Eve at that moment; He also cursed the earth - “And to Adam he said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.’” - Genesis 3:17.
    There are two misconceptions which many of us seem to fall under. One is the idea that a particularly tragic end came because of some particular sin we may have committed. The other is that we may feel (because of some wrongful thinking) that our faith wasn’t strong enough to prevent the tragedy from taking place. Both ideas are fallacious in their very being.
    Christ is telling us in our title verse that there was no particular sin responsible for the circumstances surrounding the tragedies that befall us. He is also implying that it was not a weakness of faith per se. The problem, according to Jesus, is that we fail to repent of our sins. This is Christ’s primary message to the world. It was the very first statement made by Him in the Gospel of Mark - “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” - Mark 1:14-15.
    But the answer to “why” still eludes us. To be perfectly honest all I can say is that we may never know the answer this side of heaven. Our heavenly Father doesn’t always reveal His reasons to us and the best we may hope for comes to us from the Letter to the Romans - “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28. It is of paramount importance to understand the terms “for those who love God” and “for those who are called according to his purpose.” The indicators clearly show that we must first love God and be called according to His purpose. These two criteria find life in us through the promise of eternal salvation and life everlasting. Were this hope not evident; were this hope not true, we would have nothing more than the unbelievers have. This is the foundation of our hope. Without it, suffering and death have no meaning and we truly are lost. “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” - 1 Corinthians 15:19. Without this promise, our faith makes no sense!
    More important though is that before death naturally or tragically overcomes us, we need to be prepared for a good death. A good death defined is a death where we have our repose in Christ Jesus. While we spend great energies and expenses upon the hope of recovery, healing, and recuperation, many of us and our loved ones fail to spend even a moment preparing ourselves for the inevitable end of life. And since we know neither the time nor place, shouldn’t we be sure we are ready to meet Christ when He comes to draw us to Himself? Certainly, healing is a blessing and if it is God’s will, we will be healed. But being prepared for our eternity in heaven is an even greater blessing, bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Let us all be prepared.
    We may never understand why people die when they do or whether they somehow brought their deaths upon themselves. God is under no obligation to explain Himself to us . . . ever! He is sovereign and does as He pleases. He is God! Our responsibility is to seek Him where and when He may be found. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” - Isaiah 55:6-7.
    We will always have suffering and death but we can always be prepared for the time and the place if our faith is ultimately in Christ Jesus.