Good God
Today's entry is taken in part from my beach journal entry from yesterday. Lately, I've been stopping at the beach on my way to work. My husband and I call it my "beach time with God." it is proving invaluable in my quest to experience the presence of God at all times.
I actually wanted to post this entry yesterday, but hesitated. Then came this morning's reading from "Jesus Calling" (a little book by Sarah Young, that Michael and both have copies of thanks to his mom). It was an echo of my journal from yesterday. So I thought I would follow my first impulse to share here.
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Oh how good God is. With all the violence and pain in this world, God is still good. But people will say, "if God is so good, why is there violence and pain?" You can explain free will until you are blue in the face. They will only roll their eyes and call it a cop out. And in a way they are right? Free will as an explanation is just avoiding the question. There is a lot of pain not caused by our free will at all. Natural disasters, many diseases, animal attacks, famine.
So if God is good, why does He allow pain and suffering? Let us look at the logic behind this question. The state of goodness requires the prevention of pain and suffering. Is this really true? Does the existence of goodness necessitate the prevention of pain, suffering, and all manner of evil; or even the absence of those things altogether?
I do not think it does. In fact the argument could be made that true goodness is best recognized and most palpable in the presence of pain and suffering. Good is most valiant not when it prevents evil, but when it restores in the wake of it. Let's not pretend we don't know this already. The co-worker who constantly steals your pens and staplers is never so good as when you discover he spends his evenings comforting a dying friend. When men and women mobilize to bring relief to victims of flood, earthquake, hurricanes both at home and in foreign lands we call them good. When common folk and public servants put their lives on the line, and even sacrifice themselves to save strangers, we praise them for their goodness. And more often than not those who benefit from all these manifestations of goodness will praise God for sending these vessels of His grace and mercy in their time of need.
Goodness, the goodness of God especially does not promise a lollipop kingdom here on earth. "in this world you will have trouble," says Jesus, "Cheer up! I have overcome the world."
You will have trouble. You will have cancer, you will have failed relationships, you will have war and injustice, you will have corrupt politicians, natural disasters, and maniacs will go on rampages killing the innocent. All this and more. I will not stop it from happening. But I will help you overcome it. I will help you heal. I will teach you to forgive. I will show you the way to peace. I will bring justice, integrity and wholeness back to you.
Why is it that we insist on holding God to promises He never made? Why do we set a standard of non-suffering for Him "to be God" in our eyes, and refuse to see that He calls us, through suffering, to be more godlike in His eyes. God will not lower Himself to meet our standards, no matter how self-righteous our petulant outcry may be.
The good father does not give his child a serpent no matter how violent the temper tantrum. Make no mistake a self-indulgent life of ease with no hardship and no pesky interference from God is the truest serpent there is. "Disregard the Lord and have what you will!" was the stumbling block of mankind.
I actually wanted to post this entry yesterday, but hesitated. Then came this morning's reading from "Jesus Calling" (a little book by Sarah Young, that Michael and both have copies of thanks to his mom). It was an echo of my journal from yesterday. So I thought I would follow my first impulse to share here.
*************
Oh how good God is. With all the violence and pain in this world, God is still good. But people will say, "if God is so good, why is there violence and pain?" You can explain free will until you are blue in the face. They will only roll their eyes and call it a cop out. And in a way they are right? Free will as an explanation is just avoiding the question. There is a lot of pain not caused by our free will at all. Natural disasters, many diseases, animal attacks, famine.
I do not think it does. In fact the argument could be made that true goodness is best recognized and most palpable in the presence of pain and suffering. Good is most valiant not when it prevents evil, but when it restores in the wake of it. Let's not pretend we don't know this already. The co-worker who constantly steals your pens and staplers is never so good as when you discover he spends his evenings comforting a dying friend. When men and women mobilize to bring relief to victims of flood, earthquake, hurricanes both at home and in foreign lands we call them good. When common folk and public servants put their lives on the line, and even sacrifice themselves to save strangers, we praise them for their goodness. And more often than not those who benefit from all these manifestations of goodness will praise God for sending these vessels of His grace and mercy in their time of need.
Goodness, the goodness of God especially does not promise a lollipop kingdom here on earth. "in this world you will have trouble," says Jesus, "Cheer up! I have overcome the world."
You will have trouble. You will have cancer, you will have failed relationships, you will have war and injustice, you will have corrupt politicians, natural disasters, and maniacs will go on rampages killing the innocent. All this and more. I will not stop it from happening. But I will help you overcome it. I will help you heal. I will teach you to forgive. I will show you the way to peace. I will bring justice, integrity and wholeness back to you.
Why is it that we insist on holding God to promises He never made? Why do we set a standard of non-suffering for Him "to be God" in our eyes, and refuse to see that He calls us, through suffering, to be more godlike in His eyes. God will not lower Himself to meet our standards, no matter how self-righteous our petulant outcry may be.
The good father does not give his child a serpent no matter how violent the temper tantrum. Make no mistake a self-indulgent life of ease with no hardship and no pesky interference from God is the truest serpent there is. "Disregard the Lord and have what you will!" was the stumbling block of mankind.
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