Nothing is too hard for God. What is impossible with men is possible with God. Psalm 135:6 says, "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places." God has absolute power, and His power is always governed by justice, righteousness, mercy, grace, and love. Such power would corrupt any mere man, but God is more than a man. He is altogether not like us - finite beings conceived in sin - yet He created man is His own image.
God's ways are past finding out, and His decisions and motives are righteous without question. Daniel 4:35 records the observations of Nebuchadnezzar, a man whose eyes were opened to God and His glorious ways: "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?" We have as much right to question God as our ability to stop Him! We cannot rightly ask, but we still do! Familiarity and ignorance can breed contempt. Romans 9:20-24 says, "But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"
Today I was asked by a child, "How could God allow that three-year-old on the beach to die?" I do not know. I do know sin has come into the world and death by sin, but I do not have a sure answer to the specific question - especially to those who are grieving a terrible loss. Even if I knew all things and could explain God's plan in full, it would be unsatisfactory to those blinded by pain or unbelief. I can only turn my eyes to the revealed character of God who allowed His own Son Jesus Christ to die as a revelation of His divine love. As Jesus placed Himself willingly in His Father's hands to lay down His life for sinners, I know I can do the same. Answers in themselves do not bring comfort: only God comforts. Time does not heal all wounds. But the God of the impossible is a healer, a restorer of souls, a giver of life.
We do not need to defend God, nor did He make man responsible to explain why He does what He does. But as His child I am called to trust Him, draw near to Him in faith, and thank Him. I ought to testify of the good, gracious, and just character of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. We should not be cavalier with the pain of others, and we should walk softly around wounded hearts. I am convinced God is able to heal my hurts as I cast my cares upon Him. I have tasted, I have seen, I have experienced God's comfort. No matter the struggle or pain, I want to echo the immortal words of Job in Job 1:21, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
God's ways are past finding out, and His decisions and motives are righteous without question. Daniel 4:35 records the observations of Nebuchadnezzar, a man whose eyes were opened to God and His glorious ways: "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?" We have as much right to question God as our ability to stop Him! We cannot rightly ask, but we still do! Familiarity and ignorance can breed contempt. Romans 9:20-24 says, "But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"
Today I was asked by a child, "How could God allow that three-year-old on the beach to die?" I do not know. I do know sin has come into the world and death by sin, but I do not have a sure answer to the specific question - especially to those who are grieving a terrible loss. Even if I knew all things and could explain God's plan in full, it would be unsatisfactory to those blinded by pain or unbelief. I can only turn my eyes to the revealed character of God who allowed His own Son Jesus Christ to die as a revelation of His divine love. As Jesus placed Himself willingly in His Father's hands to lay down His life for sinners, I know I can do the same. Answers in themselves do not bring comfort: only God comforts. Time does not heal all wounds. But the God of the impossible is a healer, a restorer of souls, a giver of life.
We do not need to defend God, nor did He make man responsible to explain why He does what He does. But as His child I am called to trust Him, draw near to Him in faith, and thank Him. I ought to testify of the good, gracious, and just character of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. We should not be cavalier with the pain of others, and we should walk softly around wounded hearts. I am convinced God is able to heal my hurts as I cast my cares upon Him. I have tasted, I have seen, I have experienced God's comfort. No matter the struggle or pain, I want to echo the immortal words of Job in Job 1:21, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
No comments:
Post a Comment
To uphold the integrity of this site, no comments with links for advertising will be posted. No ads here! :)