True love never forces.
Why does God allow bad things to happen? Does it seem cruel to you that God does not stop bad things from happening if he has the power to do so?
God is love. Love is kind. Love is never cruel. In the popular book The Shack, Papa (God) makes the following statement to Mac about this very subject:
"Nobody knows what horrors I have saved the world from 'cuz people can't see what never happened. All evil flows from independence, and independence is your choice. If I were to simply revoke all the choices of independence, the world as you know it would cease to exist and love would have no meaning.
This world is not a playground where I keep all my children free from evil. Evil is the chaos of this age that you brought to me, but it will not have the final say. Now it touches everyone that I love, those who follow me and those who don't.
If I take away the consequences of people's choices, I destroy the possibility of love. Love that is forced is no love at all. Every choice matters. You demand your independence, but then complain that I actually love you enough to give it to you."
God did not create evil, as some accuse Him of doing. Any evil you encounter in the world can be traced back to someone's selfish choice.
Showing posts with label suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suffering. Show all posts
Friday, April 17, 2009
Monday, August 13, 2007
August 14: Is God All-powerful?
I grew up in church, but in my mid-teens had a crisis of faith. I had a lot of questions. I was not allowed to ask them in church. I didn’t find satisfactory answers and every reply raised ten new questions. I was asked to stop asking my questions.
The biggest hurdle for me in coming to faith was, "If there is a God, how can he be all-powerful and all-loving?" It seemed that if he were both that he would stop all the suffering in the world. If he were powerful enough to stop the suffering and didn't then he wasn't very loving. If he loved everyone and wanted to end the suffering, and yet couldn't, then he was weak. I was left with the prospect of following a God who was either mean or weak, or both.
The Bible asserts that God has made himself known through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures (Romans 1:2), through created, natural order...
"... since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:19-20)
The Prophet Jeremiah expounded on God's attributes:
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. 18 You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the fathers' sins into the laps of their children after them. O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, 19 great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 32:17-19)
Then I read the book of Job in the Bible. Job had lots of questions for God, like I did. For 37 chapters Job and his friends try to make sense of things and figure God out. Finally, in chapters 38-41, God shows up and speaks to Job. When he concludes Job still does not have the answers to his questions, but he does have a new understanding and perspective on how awesome God reaally is.
Then Job replied to the LORD: "I know that you can do all things (all powerful); no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:1-6)
God has demonstrated his power through Creation (Genesis 1-2), The Flood (Genesis 6), The Exodus (10 Plagues and Red Sea Crossing, Exodus 7-11, 14), The Miracles of Jesus and the Resurrection of Jesus (see the Gospels), The Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles...
The list goes on. Even today we hear of modern medical stories that leave the doctors scratching their heads and without logical explanation as to what has happened. My friend Cheryl's X-ray show a tumor in her abdomen. She called friends and enlisted them to pray for her healing. When the surgeons operated there was no sign of a tumor...and no explanation as to how it had disappeared! We hear stories like these on a fairly regular basis.
There is nothing that God cannot do! The dilemma and the difficulty is why sometimes God seems to demonstrate his power and at other times remain unmoved and silent. I don't know why. I'm like Job, I know God can do all things but I cannot explain God. But I have seen over and over again His love demonstrated and His provision supplied in my own life. I know that God is real and that God loves me. I've learned over the years to trust His heart even when I cannot see His hand at work.
~ Father, thank you for demonstrating that there is nothing you cannot do. Help me to trust you even when I do not understand you ways. Amen.
The biggest hurdle for me in coming to faith was, "If there is a God, how can he be all-powerful and all-loving?" It seemed that if he were both that he would stop all the suffering in the world. If he were powerful enough to stop the suffering and didn't then he wasn't very loving. If he loved everyone and wanted to end the suffering, and yet couldn't, then he was weak. I was left with the prospect of following a God who was either mean or weak, or both.
The Bible asserts that God has made himself known through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures (Romans 1:2), through created, natural order...
"... since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:19-20)
The Prophet Jeremiah expounded on God's attributes:
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. 18 You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the fathers' sins into the laps of their children after them. O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, 19 great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 32:17-19)
Then I read the book of Job in the Bible. Job had lots of questions for God, like I did. For 37 chapters Job and his friends try to make sense of things and figure God out. Finally, in chapters 38-41, God shows up and speaks to Job. When he concludes Job still does not have the answers to his questions, but he does have a new understanding and perspective on how awesome God reaally is.
Then Job replied to the LORD: "I know that you can do all things (all powerful); no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:1-6)
God has demonstrated his power through Creation (Genesis 1-2), The Flood (Genesis 6), The Exodus (10 Plagues and Red Sea Crossing, Exodus 7-11, 14), The Miracles of Jesus and the Resurrection of Jesus (see the Gospels), The Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles...
The list goes on. Even today we hear of modern medical stories that leave the doctors scratching their heads and without logical explanation as to what has happened. My friend Cheryl's X-ray show a tumor in her abdomen. She called friends and enlisted them to pray for her healing. When the surgeons operated there was no sign of a tumor...and no explanation as to how it had disappeared! We hear stories like these on a fairly regular basis.
There is nothing that God cannot do! The dilemma and the difficulty is why sometimes God seems to demonstrate his power and at other times remain unmoved and silent. I don't know why. I'm like Job, I know God can do all things but I cannot explain God. But I have seen over and over again His love demonstrated and His provision supplied in my own life. I know that God is real and that God loves me. I've learned over the years to trust His heart even when I cannot see His hand at work.
~ Father, thank you for demonstrating that there is nothing you cannot do. Help me to trust you even when I do not understand you ways. Amen.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
August 11: Life's White Water
So I'm still thinking about my Mom and a tribe of sassy seniors headed down the Nenana River in Alaska in a rubber boat. Most of my kayaking is done on flat water, although we've done a few river runs with class 4 rapids. But I've yet to do a white water rafting trip. One day...Anyway, just thinking this morning about how much of life is like that. At times things are smooth and calm, easily moving along with time to reflect. Then there are times
When you head into those crisis moments of life, do you ever wonder where God is? Or wonder if God is real? Or wonder if anyone is listening when you pray?
For those who live by faith, who trust in God, He proves Himself to be real and ever-present. Listen to the ancient promise to the Israelites. I believe the promise holds to anyone (or group) who believe and trust in the LORD.
But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, he who formed you: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One, your Savior; you are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you." (Isaiah 43:1-4)
I encourage you not to wait until you find yourself in the white water of life, engulfed by circumstances that threaten to do you in, or take you out. Establish a relationship with your Creator now by believing and trusting in Him. By bcoming accustomed to believing Him and conversing with Him in the calm waters, it makes it easier and more natural to call on Him when you're in over your head.
~ Father, thank you for your promise that when the bottom falls out you are still with me. Strengthen my faith today, help me to trust your heart even when I cannot see your hand. Amen.
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