Hamster Heaven

My daughter's Hamster, Mr. Snuggles, died yesterday. He was 3 years old, so he lived a long full life, and just fell asleep and never woke up.

I am not sure what your experience has been when people have died; but in the Christian world people say that famous line, "everything happens for a reason" a lot. Which is TRUE and NOT TRUE depending on the context. You also here that phrase used when something bad (or good) happens; for example - you get in a card accident, break your leg, end up in the hospital next to a person who you lead to the Lord ... or even better yet ... you meet your future spouse in the hospital because he too had been in a car accident and broke his leg ... and there you lie side by side ... like it was a divine game of God crashing cars to bring you two together(the examples are endless).

In the context of cause and effect, this "thing" happened because this "thing" was done ... in other words all effects do seem to have causes. Yes, this is true. BUT in the context of God is in the business of crashing cars is ridiculous and in my personal opinion not a God I want to serve.

In the case mentioned above, don't you think that God could have brought those two people together in a less violent and in a more humane way? I think so, if indeed He really was trying to bring them together. Those stories always amaze me, cause I have heard those kinds of stories before to only here them later getting divorced ... and I am left puzzled at how "God" could have brought them together so positively (in their minds) to only a few years later ... end it all.

Back to original "car-crash" story; the REASON the car crash happened was because the driver had bent down to pick up the tipped-over Starbucks coffee cup and took their eyes off the road at the same time the car in front of them had to slow down drastically for the school zone speed change. So, yes there was a REASON for the car crash, but it wasn't God and Jesus playing a heavenly game of car-crash-derby!

Now, I will say that God CAN and often DOES use unfortunate circumstances to accomplish His will ... it can happen. In other words can will work in the midst of tragedy ... but that doesn't mean He caused the tragedy. Understand?

A truth you should know: Things just happen sometimes ... it's called life!

I have been to many a funeral to hear people say; "God must have needed another angel" (no, humans can not become angels), "They must have had sin in their lives" (this one is totally ridiculous ... because if true, then we would all be dead ... for we are all sinners), "They were just so close to God that He took them" (Very unlikely, you only see this 2 times in the Bible ... and if this is true I don't want to get too close to God), "it must have been their time" (what? They were only 12 years old ... how could that be fair?), "they died so this person could find God" (Seriously, I thought Jesus already died so we could find God ... so was Jesus not enough?)

On and on we could go ... but I hope you get my point; life is life, and yes God interacts and is involved in our lives, especially as we allow Him access. But we make choices each and every day that have consequences ... sometimes good, sometimes bad. I believe this is why PRAYER and LISTENING to God is so important!

I do not believe we are stringed-puppets and God is on the other end bouncing us around ... I believe that God is a very active God on our behalf, and this is why He has given us the scriptures to study and read and to know Him more, friends to get guidance from, churches to gather for worship and serve people through ...

God bless you today as you follow Him!