When I spoke with Bob, we could have to go about what this message might focus on.

He said, well, along with all the other good news that there is in Jesus, one major focus

surely must be suffering.

Now that may not surprise you in view of everything we've just read, but it might surprise

you if you were to wonder, is that going to be encouraging for us who remain?

Is it going to be a fitting tribute to Nancy?

But as you heard at the end of Bob's eulogy, we've been together for a long time, 40 years.

He knows what I'm going to say.

We didn't consult about it.

We just have lived together for a long time.

He's heard a lot of sermons.

I think there are words that you spoke were true.

So this is not a gamble on his part to say, why don't you talk about suffering?

He doesn't want me to make anything up.

Like he's not saying, hey, come give us some nice thoughts.

You could be a creative person and just say some nice thoughts about Nancy and suffering.

That's not what he wants and that's not what I am called to do.

We believe here, and Bob believes all the way down, that this is the only source of authority I have to say anything.

God's Word, the Scriptures, and so you the listeners should test all things and hold fast to what is good and true.

I don't have anything to say about suffering.

God has a lot to say about suffering.

And all of it for the children of God is helpful and encouraging.

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