Except Ye Become

During music class today,
we were learning a new song,
"In Christ Alone."
I was helping some of the younger children
understand the
meaning of the words, "Fiercest Drought."

They understood that fierce
means something that is really, really bad,
and that a drought means you are very thirsty
and needy in a bad time.

"We don't know why bad things happen,
but what we do know is that God is always with us."

"Everything happens for a reason,"
a wise little girl quoted.
I choked back a sob as I looked at her,
knowing a bit of the fierce drought
she may face in the next few months.

I was sitting on the piano bench,
and the little guy to my left
looked me right in the eye and asked,
"Why DO they happen?"

"Well, I don't know.
Sometimes things happen because
there is sin and we live in a fallen world.
People have free will and sometimes
we are affected by their choices.
Sometimes our environment can
make people sick. "

The same little boy said," Sometimes
it's our likes. If we like to travel over
bumpy roads every day,
we can shake up our kidneys
and that can make us sick...
And sometimes, it's our attachments..."

"Oh-like attachments to alcohol...or tobacco..."
And we talked about the things we do
and what we are responsible for.

"I don't think God tries to make bad
things happen to us," I said.
"No," said the wise little girl again.
"It's not like He's up there saying,
'I'm going to make you go through
this bad thing and punish you.'"

I wish I could really capture the conversation
and let you hear their voices and see their sweet faces.

We talked about the meaning of 'the heights of God's
love' and 'the depths of peace'
and that no matter what happens,
God's love will never leave us.

Then we sang the first verse again.

"In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand."