Psalm 112:7; Psalm 34:19 " Traits of the Good Person and our Response to Bad News

 New American Standard Bible.

" He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD."

Ps. 112:7

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers Him out of them all." Ps. 34:19

" The Navy on Monday identified the two aviators who died when their EA-18G Growler jet crashed into the Washington state wilderness last week.  Lt Cmdr. Lyndsay Miley Evans , a naval flight officer, and Lt. Serena Dug Wileman, a naval aviator, both 31 years old and from California died on Oct 15 when their aircraft crashed near Mt. Rainer, setting off a days-long , search- and- rescue mission.

The service described the two women as "trailblazing" aviators in a press release on Monday, and the cause of the deadly crash remained under investigation. They were decorated combat veterans who distinguished themselves during their squadron's recent deployment to the Red Sea aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower." military.com/daily-news.

1. How do we react to bad news?  Usually we go through some of the stages of grief or loss---denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then acceptance.  I find I go through these, and then I circle around and do them all over.  It is hard to see what  God is doing, isn't it?

A recent attender here had a son die, 58 years old, by suicide apparently.  No one seemed to know he was having difficulty.  We are very good at hiding our distress.  Talking it out with God and others can lessen the pain a bit perhaps.

" He will not be afraid , Ps. 112:7 with evil/ bad news. His heart ( inner man, mind) is steadfast ( firm, stable) trusting in the LORD.

We may want to say the " Serenity Prayer" written by Reinhold Neibuhr in the 1930's.  The Serenity Prayer first appeared in print as part of a sermon in the 1944 Book of Prayers and Services for the Armed Forces, and was officially published by Niebuhr in 1951.

Serenity Prayer- Full version

" God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking , as He did, this sinful world

As it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life ( and here I would add in the life to come)"

2. Psalm 34:19 came to mind as I was thinking of this....

 1 Heidelberg catechism

Q. What is your only comfort

 in life and in death?

 A. That I am not my own,1

 but belong—

 body and soul,

 in life and in death—2

 to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.3

The Psalm tells us, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."

Pulpit commentary---" "We must through mush tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). We must, like the Captain of our salvation, be "made perfect through suffering" (Hebrews 2:10). But the Lord delivereth him out of them all. When they have done their appointed work of purging, purifying, instructing, improving, or whatever else their work may be, God removes the afflictions with which he has visited us or allowed us to be visited, ultimately, when he takes us to himself, mercifully delivering us "out of them all." Psalm 34:19"

Question 1 of the Heidelberg catechism helps us to see what we have through Christ and what He will continue to do for us." He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,

 and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way

 that not a hair can fall from my head

 without the will of my Father in heaven;

 in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.   Because I belong to him,

  Christ, by his Holy Spirit,

  assures me of eternal life,   and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready

  from now on to live for him.

Conclusion-  How do we react to bad news?  We can dwell on it or we can realize that all things are going to work together for good for those who love Him.  Nothing can separate the Christian from the love of God.  If we get bad news we will not be afraid, for our hearts are steadfast trusting in the LORD.  He will not let us slip or fall.

amen.