God Knows
On the 7th of March 1964 Wally Herron jumped into a new plane to fly to a town in Bolivia and continue the mission work he had begun there. But when the time came for him to arrive at his destination there was no sign of him or his plane. Wally’s fellow pilot Torrico along with Wally’s wife and son began to fly the route Wally had gone to search for him, but soon the weather turned bad and they had to come back into the airport.
Then it happened. The radio brought news that Wally’s Cessna had gone down, and that he and a few passengers had died in the crash.
The whole mission organisation went into mourning, as Wally’s colleagues and friends received this awful news. But then somebody mentioned that the day before he flew, Wally had been preaching at a local prayer meeting. And he had spoken on Psalm 139, which says: “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.” (Psalm 139:1–4 NIV11)
God Knows: Trusting in Divine Providence
He stirred the hearts of the people listening by emphasizing the fact that God knows. God knows! We can trust him in every situation because God knows all things. And Wally recounted to his listeners the many trying experiences he had gone through, but how God’s ruling over them brought victory and salvation to more and more people. God knows, and His divine plans can be trusted!
Wally’s grieving family, friends and colleagues remembered through their tears this last message from this man they so loved, and they gave thanks that God knows.
Wally’s life touched many lives. And for us as humans, when somebody precious dies too soon, we can’t understand why God would allow that to happen. We can’t comprehend why He wouldn’t have intervened like he does in other situations. We get angry with God for this at times, and we start to doubt His goodness.
Finding Comfort: God Knows
But Wally said it! God knows. His ways are not our ways. His plans are not our plans. He knows what He is doing.
Can you hold onto this simple phrase today? God knows. What hope we have even through our tears, because even when we don’t know… God knows.
Wally Herron made a huge difference in a faraway land, but maybe today he can make a difference in your life, as you hold onto his last sermon, and walk through the day with the assurance that God knows.
