Answer by Don Wismer, Pastor @ Connexion:
"If I were to come through a tragic event where I was spared while others were not I would likely say something similar to “God was looking out for me.” For me it would be a way of acknowledging that it was only through the grace of God that I was left unharmed. It would not at all mean that others who were not so fortunate were not being looked out for or were not also blessed by Gods grace, but more so it would be my way of recognizing God’s overall presence and sovereignty in my life, and giving God thanks.
It’s another way of saying, “I can’t explain how this happened, it must be a miracle, and miracles are things of God.”
As a former police officer I once watched a small pickup truck turn directly in front of a full size pickup. The smaller truck was hit on the side near the back and it spun around in circles in the middle of the intersection, raising a large cloud of dust and debris. When the dust settled, there in the middle of the intersection was a small toddler on his knees, crying. With the impact he had been thrown out of the smaller truck as it spun around him. The boy wasn't harmed; I don’t recall even a scratch. Was it a miracle or just a random event? You decide.
In His sovereignty, God has the power and ability to act according to His good and perfect will, (something we often don't really “get”) but that God also generally chooses to limit Gods self, not intervening in the randomness of life. Things both good and bad happen. Having said that, I also believe while God doesn't cause bad things to happen to us, God can use all things in our lives, both good and bad, to bring about much good."
Answer by Rick Taylor, Pastor @ New Haven UMC:
J.P., thanks for the opportunity your question brings to all of us. Most of us want more time! In the one sense you have all the time in the world regardless of how long your life is. How is this possible? It is possible because God measure time based on eternity. You might say, “Pastor Rick, that’s not what I want to hear!”
True, but the friction for you and me happens when we measure life value based on your physical life time on earth. When you measure life’s value on the physical time on earth then the signs of successful living revolve around the length of your life, the health of your life, and the dollar value of your things. Thus, a life ended early or a life of illness or a life with less stuff looks like it is failing and God appears uncaring. Life measured in this way makes signs of God’s love dependent solely on physical life accumulation.
God measures your life based on an eternity therefore the health of your soul and your soul’s ongoing connection and bond with God are God’s primary focus. While you and I, in one sense, don’t want to hear this, God’s primary concern is your soul’s healthy relationship with him. Regardless the length of your physical life or the injury level you experience you can be bonded and connected to God. This is why a guy named Paul, one of Jesus’ apostles, said, “God works for good with those who are called according to his purpose.”
God aches and cares for people in every circumstance…those that live, those that are injured and those that die. --Pastor Rick