"Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand, and their rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed: 'Let us tear their fetters apart, and cast away their cords from us!'" (Ps. 2:1-3)
Let's just face it: the world can be a depressing place. The world, despite what you may hear, is not full of all flowers and sunshine. There's also death, disease, and heartache. And as we scan through the world, sometimes that's all we can see.
Being a Christian doesn't make it a ton easier at this point (we'll get to how being a Christian really does help later, but at this point in the thought process, being a Christian doesn't really help). In fact, in a way it makes it worse. Rather than looking at numbers on a page or statistics in a magazine, we're staring at souls with an eternal destiny, people Jesus loves, people we are called to love. And when we look into the face of that starving child in Asia, we are looking into the face of a child dearly loved by God.
Where is God in the home of an abused girl, beaten and abused by the very people she should be able to trust the most, during what should be the happiest times of her life?
Where is God when a child dies in Africa of a disease that could have been stopped?
Where is God when villages are raided in Sudan and the girls taken for slaves and the boys for child soldiers?
Where is God during the catastrophes and tragedies that end life with such staggering numbers?
Where is God when we look around ourselves and see the poor in our own cities, the people under bridges, the teens hooked on drugs?
I've been thinking about this the last few days. When we strive to love like Jesus loved, we begin to hurt more with those who hurt and weep with those who weep. While I still don't cry much (like hardly never), I've begun hurting much more for those in these situations. And the deeper we love the world, the more it will hurt to see this, and the more we will want to see it stop.
There are several answers to the questions I posed above. First off, one answer comes from the verses following the ones I posted above from Ps. 2. "He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them (speaking of the wicked who plan His overthrow). Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury: 'But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.'"
Why is this a really neat passage? Because while the powerful of the earth are scrambling to stop God, to defeat His purpose and disobey His commands, God is not scrambling to regain control. He isn't dashing around, desperately trying to put out the fires. He is calmly in control, and continues about His plan, which His enemies apparently cannot defeat. So, God is control, and the wicked's day will come.
But secondly, what I kinda thought of that I hadn't thought much about before was about the question itself. Don't you figure that that question, "where is God..." was probably what the disciples were asking in the upper room? Or what Mary probably gasped out between sobs at the foot of the cross? Maybe it was the question that floated through Peter's mind as he went back to casting his nets for the last time. Maybe it was the thought in the mind of Nicodemus and Joseph as they laid Jesus in the tomb. "Where is God? Where is justice? Where is the protection for the righteous and the innocent?"
Where was God? God was exactly where He always was, in firm control, allowing these things to happen in full obedience to His divine decree. No, He wasn't caught off guard, or momentarily destracted. He was exactly where He has always been, in control.
Where is God? He is exactly where He always was, in firm control, allowing these things to happen in full obedience to His divine decree. He is in the same place He was when Joshua asked what happened after the catastrophe at Ai. He is in the same place He was when Elijah begged God to let him die after Jezebel's pursuit. He is no more out of touch, distracted, or away today than He was then.
So, where can we find peace when all around us it seems evil is advancing? In the arms of a sovereign, loving Savior. A Father who loves, and who is not lost, but in control. A Savior, who brought our greatest joy out of what seemed the greatest tragedy in human history. A sovereign God, who plans out the world for His greater glory and to make His power and majesty, but also His mercy, known. That is where our faith must lie during the tragedies of life.
Let's just face it: the world can be a depressing place. The world, despite what you may hear, is not full of all flowers and sunshine. There's also death, disease, and heartache. And as we scan through the world, sometimes that's all we can see.
Being a Christian doesn't make it a ton easier at this point (we'll get to how being a Christian really does help later, but at this point in the thought process, being a Christian doesn't really help). In fact, in a way it makes it worse. Rather than looking at numbers on a page or statistics in a magazine, we're staring at souls with an eternal destiny, people Jesus loves, people we are called to love. And when we look into the face of that starving child in Asia, we are looking into the face of a child dearly loved by God.
Where is God in the home of an abused girl, beaten and abused by the very people she should be able to trust the most, during what should be the happiest times of her life?
Where is God when a child dies in Africa of a disease that could have been stopped?
Where is God when villages are raided in Sudan and the girls taken for slaves and the boys for child soldiers?
Where is God during the catastrophes and tragedies that end life with such staggering numbers?
Where is God when we look around ourselves and see the poor in our own cities, the people under bridges, the teens hooked on drugs?
I've been thinking about this the last few days. When we strive to love like Jesus loved, we begin to hurt more with those who hurt and weep with those who weep. While I still don't cry much (like hardly never), I've begun hurting much more for those in these situations. And the deeper we love the world, the more it will hurt to see this, and the more we will want to see it stop.
There are several answers to the questions I posed above. First off, one answer comes from the verses following the ones I posted above from Ps. 2. "He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them (speaking of the wicked who plan His overthrow). Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury: 'But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.'"
Why is this a really neat passage? Because while the powerful of the earth are scrambling to stop God, to defeat His purpose and disobey His commands, God is not scrambling to regain control. He isn't dashing around, desperately trying to put out the fires. He is calmly in control, and continues about His plan, which His enemies apparently cannot defeat. So, God is control, and the wicked's day will come.
But secondly, what I kinda thought of that I hadn't thought much about before was about the question itself. Don't you figure that that question, "where is God..." was probably what the disciples were asking in the upper room? Or what Mary probably gasped out between sobs at the foot of the cross? Maybe it was the question that floated through Peter's mind as he went back to casting his nets for the last time. Maybe it was the thought in the mind of Nicodemus and Joseph as they laid Jesus in the tomb. "Where is God? Where is justice? Where is the protection for the righteous and the innocent?"
Where was God? God was exactly where He always was, in firm control, allowing these things to happen in full obedience to His divine decree. No, He wasn't caught off guard, or momentarily destracted. He was exactly where He has always been, in control.
Where is God? He is exactly where He always was, in firm control, allowing these things to happen in full obedience to His divine decree. He is in the same place He was when Joshua asked what happened after the catastrophe at Ai. He is in the same place He was when Elijah begged God to let him die after Jezebel's pursuit. He is no more out of touch, distracted, or away today than He was then.
So, where can we find peace when all around us it seems evil is advancing? In the arms of a sovereign, loving Savior. A Father who loves, and who is not lost, but in control. A Savior, who brought our greatest joy out of what seemed the greatest tragedy in human history. A sovereign God, who plans out the world for His greater glory and to make His power and majesty, but also His mercy, known. That is where our faith must lie during the tragedies of life.
Wow. I'm semi-speechless. This is so good.
ReplyDeleteWhy, thank you, Lauren! These are just all the thoughts I stored up while in Italy and since I've been back while I couldn't blog. Now they're just pouring out of me!
DeleteWhat Lauren said. Wow. This is just incredible. So strong, and beautiful. Thank for the reminder, Taylor.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad these random thoughts are able to encourage some people! I'm never sure before I write what will come out, but I'm glad God's using it!
Delete