What is God's role in the occurance of a death?

[HolyCow21]

Hello everybody. I’m new here. After searching this forum, this looked like the right place to put this question, if not, I apologize.

My dad died on December 9th. He, my mom and one of my 4 year old children were on a 3 hour drive to see my sister for her birthday. My dad lost control of his pickup (it was slick out that day) and they ended up rolling down a steep hill. From seeing the hill and the truck, it’s easy to see how my dad didn’t survive this, but hard to figure out how exactly my mom and son did. We are very grateful they did though of course.

Since this all happened, I’ve had so many questions. I believe that God knows when we all will die. He knows the number of days we all have. I’m confused though if it’s God’s choice that we go at that time or not. It seems that all 3 of them easily could have died in the crash, but I believe like many are saying, it wasn’t mom’s or my son’s time.

In talking to our priest about how to talk to our kids about this, he said that we need to separate the accident from God. In other words say that an accident happened, then God came to take “pappy” to heaven. Don’t tell the kids that God decided it was pappy’s time so the accident happened because of that… But I’m having trouble reconciling all of that in me.

Does God just know, because he knows all but he decides not to intercede? Does he know and have an active roll in causing the person to die because it is their time?

I have so many more thoughts in my mind about this. But this question is long enough for now. Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[coolduude]

First off, we are all sorry to hear what happened. You will be in out prayers here on CAF.

Now, to answer your question. Yes.

God knows ALL, so He can decide who to take and who to spare.

You said this in your post. It was his time. That’s about all I can do to explain it.

We don’t know why some people survive and why some die, only God knows.

The best answer was the one you gave. It was his time.

Feel free to ask more questions, by the way. Nobody here on CAF minds answering questions.

 

[MarieVeronica]

“HC21” I’m so very sorry to hear about the loss of your father… and in such a tragic manner. May God grant you and your family comfort. :console:

Your question is a toughie. But it is also one of the most frequently asked questions of the human race. We have all been in this situation, at one time or another. Or if we haven’t yet… we will be, one day.

Death (our own impending… or that of a loved one) is not something we are given to understand in this life. And we can not possibly know the Divine Will of God… and how it works. There is so much we must simply accept, on faith. One of those, is that God is the Author of Life. And as you yourself said, He alone knows the “whens and wheres” of the circumstances of all our deaths. It’s a mystery to us… and always will be.

The only thing that I CAN tell you, for certain… is that suffering and death became immeasurably valuable… by the suffering and death of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. He gave meaning to our own sufferings and death. And with His Resurrection… we also have hope for Eternal Life.

I will keep you and your family in my prayers. May Our Lord give you peace and comfort. God bless.

MV