When an Unbelieving Friend Asks Questions Like This...

My old friend, Robert (not his real name), a Professor at a major University, commented on my post...

"To be clear, you (and Trump) are saying that God interceded to save Trump, but didn't intercede to save the firefighter?"

I responded...

Many people struggle with the issue, Robert. Did God save President Trump but not the father of the family he was protecting? I believe the answer, which requires more than a one word answer, is yes. So I beg your pardon, but hope you will let me, as best I can, explain.



Often, in somewhat similar situations, people ask "Why does God heal one person that is prayed for, but doesn’t heal another person that is prayed for?" The apostle Paul, himself, who had been used by God to pray for and heal many, many, others, was not healed himself. He writes that he had a “thorn in the flesh“ that he prayed for healing over multiple times. How did he understand that, as a Christian? This is what he wrote in his letter to the Romans: “...we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”



You may remember the famous musical, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." It's the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers, sold to a Egyptian Court official, Potiphar, was falsely accused and thrown into jail for not giving in to the amorous advances of Potiphar’s wife, but eventually, after explaining a dream no one else could explain to Pharoah, was placed as the second in command to all of Egypt to administer food supplies and actually saved his family's lives by ensuring they had food to eat in a 7-year famine. His brothers were terrified when they discovered it was their brother who had the power of life or death over them. What Joseph said to them sums up how God works. Joseph told his brothers, "What you meant for evil, God meant for good."



Remember, “...we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” But how does this apply here?...



Corey Comperatore, according to his family, loved God and was called to be like Jesus—who is "the Good Shepherd.” As a follower of Christ, he sought to be the hands and feet of Jesus--and we can see it in his life.



➢ Corey demonstrated God’s love for people in general as a volunteer Fireman Chief, putting his life in harm’s way to save strangers he most often did not know personally.

➢ He demonstrated God’s generosity by being a provider his wife and daughters say that was exceptional. And, of course...

➢ Corey demonstrated God’s radical love for His children by his last 2 words, “Get down!” and by the actions that cost him his life here on earth, diving over his family to protect them just before he suffered the fatal shot. Corey was a model of God's sacrificial love for his children, just as Jesus paid the sacrifice of His life for our salvation.



Corey was called to be like Jesus—who is "the Good Shepherd.” Jesus, himself, said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."



So how will God “work all things for good” in this instance? It may be foolish to pretend to know God's mind in any specific case, but please allow me to be “foolish” and give one possibility—and then address the family he left behind.



Robert, you are a University Professor, and you probably meet a lot of young men that are confused about their identity as men in a world that sees Men as “a problem“, negatively controlling in a “patriarchal system,” and even worse, practitioners of “toxic masculinity.“ Many also ponder, "What does it mean to be a man when we were told we are no different than women?"



Corey Comperatore demonstrated, by his life, what God intended and created Man to be...

➢ An honorable lover of his wife and family.

➢ A protector of the innocent.

➢ A generous giver.

➢ A courageous savior who was willing to give his own life to those whose lives are “burning to the ground.”



Maybe, just maybe, his life will serve to inspire confused young men—and maybe a confused society as well. But how does this work for Corey's family?



"Why did God allow the taking of the life of our deeply loved family member?“ It's an intensely painful question often asked after death strikes.



There are some simple answers, but not as helpful as Jesus' own response when his close friend, Lazarus died, and his family wanted to know why He allowed it. It was...



"Jesus wept."



It's the shortest verse in the Bible, and it's hard for many to understand how this person, who claimed to be God, was weeping with the family. It was even more difficult to understand why he cried ALREADY KNOWING that he was about to raise him from the dead! Jesus was being real. Of all the religions of the world, we have the only vulnerable God. He cried because His heart was broken--NOT by Lazarus' death, but by the pain his family was going through. His weeping also demonstrated something that God wants us to know about Him--and about the core of who He is. During our deepest, darkest nights, he is with us, and in many cases, HE IS CRYING TOO. In my humble human opinion, this is exactly what Jesus did with Corey. He cried with the family and continues to be with them--but then he raised him from the dead.



The simple answer is, "Corey's in Heaven." And his family are comforted by this knowledge and their faith, which by all accounts, seems to be strong. And that's also because Corey did something else that is our job as men--to raise our children in the fear of the Lord, and ultimately to Heaven where we can be together with each other for eternity. Well done, Corey Comperatore.



And "...it was God alone, who kept the unthinkable from happening." --DJT



Yes. He did.



“To be clear, you (and Trump) are saying that God interceded to save Trump, but didn't intercede to save the firefighter?"



Thank you, Robert, for asking the question. Please ask God more of these difficult questions. If you seriously want to know, God will answer them--much better than I can.



Robert replied...

"Nick, thanks for the thoughtful reply. Respectfully, it raises more questions than it answers (though I won't bother you with those). Best wishes to you and your family."



Robert, I know. Questions like, "Why would a good God allow evil into the world?" and others. There are great answers to these types of questions if genuinely sought. My hope, Robert, is not to somehow justify my post... but to share something I'm sure Corey would share, and, as a friend, I sincerely hope to see you playing in Heaven's Hall of Musical Artistry. It really won't be just "harps and choirs! ? !!