There are no easy answers to the problem of suffering in our world. We ask 'why' but silence is often the response. Many people give in to cynicism and despair. Jeremiah was brokenhearted and devastated by the destruction he saw in Jerusalem. He cried out to God for answers and for comfort. He hoped that God had not abandoned the people. Even in the midst of this suffering and destruction, he expressed hope and trust in God. Life, hope, renewal, and compassion are all words that describe the nature of God.

Grief in the face of death and the loss of loved ones is a basic human experience. Martha and Mary were grieving for their dead brother Lazarus. Martha was not too impressed with the promise of resurrection - who wants to wait until judgment day? But Jesus assured her that anyone who believed in him as the resurrection and the life would not suffer death. He did not mean physical death but separation from God and from the love that binds us all together. Eternal life, according to John, is something we can experience in this life - no need to wait for death! Those who walk in faith dwell in God, and God is life and love itself.