Amazing Chapel

She entered our classroom after we had already heard two hours of lecture, assuring us that we would get a much needed break after chapel. Petite, blond, and quiet, she began by handing out a hymn for us to sing together. O God, our help in ages past. Most of us knew it, though not all.

Then she began reading her testimony. It was heartrending to hear of her struggles. She placed them in the context of Psalm 88, a Psalm of disorientation that ends in darkness instead of the usual resolution, the part where God saves and restores. Judy's husband, a faithful minister of many years, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer. They pursued every course of help they could, prayed and believed that God would heal him, would let him overcome the disease. They had tons of people praying for them, support like nobody's business, faith to know that everything would be fine. God would save.

He continued to preach throughout his treatment, sitting when he could no longer stand, memorizing when he could no longer read. He remained faithful, believing, confident. And he died nine months later. That same year, within months of her husband's death, Judy experienced other family crises. Car accidents, miscarriages, floods, disaster after disaster until she felt like Job. It was unbearable. How could she go on? Where was God? She didn't even bother with the 'why me' question.

Years have passed since that season of her life. Ten years. She has changed the direction of her life in ways she could never have imagined. She is working with Aids victims in Africa now, and realizes her compassion for their darkness is born of her own experience of darkness. God did not prevent, but God did not leave her. God did not take away the darkness, God went into it with her.

She is now married again and serving with her husband, about to return to Africa, to extend God's hand of love to those for whom there is no answer, no cure, no return from disaster. And she understands. She is amazed. She shares her faith because we are on a path to minister to others whose lives may be darkness that will not be turned to light in this world.

Do not try to force happy endings. Do not predict where and how God will move. Point instead to the fact that you do not understand everything, do not have the answers. But you know God and He is faithful. He will never leave you. He will make a way for you. Believe.

And we sang again O God our help - this time with a different understanding.