I have had some very bad news this week. Life is not always easy. Bad things are even happening to good people. The good thing is though, bad times don’t last but good people do! Tough times will come to an end, but tough people will overcome!

Early this week we had the news that a young man was found dead. He was a former Bible School student. He was a fine young man with a great testimony of the grace of God in his life. I was very fond of him. But some time ago he disappeared from the fellowship. The last thing I heard was that he was so successful at his job that he found no time anymore for the covenant community. Now he is dead. He was only 24 years old when he passed away. I feel compassion with his family and friends. My heart is filled with sadness and my eyes are wet with tears.

Today I heard that some friends of us in India died in a bus accident. I have known this young couple several years. They were leading a church and serving the Lord faithfully. The husband translated my book on the Kingdom of God into Gujarati. The couple with their baby daughter had just stepped out of the bus when the bus exploded and all three of them were instantly killed. 32 people died in the explosion. I only know this young couple and it hurts me that they died in such a way in young age. I think of their families and friends. What a terrible loss. I think of the people in the church who lost their caring and loving leaders. I think of their fellow ministers in the wider covenant community they were a part of. I think of the great need for people like this couple in the nation of India. I feel sad.

These bad news cause me to pray for those who have lost their dear ones. And it causes me to thank God for his goodness towards me and my wife. We are still alive. God has protected us during a long life. He has kept us safe during many dangerous situations. By his grace we will carry on serving him and fulfill his call upon our lives. He is a good God. He is even able to turn any bad situation into something that bring glory to his name and blessing to many people. That is what I trust him to do in this situation.