If you enjoyed this short story email ...order.signs@pacificpress.com for monthly issues. jb,
Loren reflects on one of the most perplexing questions we humans ask: "Where was God when something bad happened to me?"
What followed are the pictures that I saw on Television--- pictures that are burned into my mind and that I'll not ever forget.
- Dozens of small Syrian children being washed down with high-pressure water, tossed around, and rolled around like so many bundles of rags, in the rush to wash off the poisonous nerve gas, form their small bodies!
- A father clutching his infant twins to his chest, both dead from the poisonous gas, his tears dropping onto their dead faces.
- Bodies of innocent people lying on the street, some with cloths tossed over them, many not even given that decorum of respect.
- A wealthy, powerful and morally indifferent leader, sitting a comfortable chair, in some secluded and secure building, who ordered his military to do this. His own children rest comfortably in their own beds, while he cares nothing about this evil that he has caused, so long as he stays in power!
IS THIS NO A RECURRING QUESTION?
I surely am not the first to ask this question, nor the last! Do we not often suppose that the Bible writers were spiritual athletes who could not ever have felt bereft of God. But they also, questioned God during life's tragedies.
Psalms 42:9-10 " I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?"
The psalmist isn't just nursing his own doubts, but he's also taunted by others: "People say to me all day long, 'Where is your God' "? (verse 3). We can know from the way he interweaves his hopes with his doubts shows us that hasn't yet overcome his dark emotions, still trying to convince himself.
Yet this writer was not alone. David suffered deep spiritual depression, both for his own sins (Psalms 51), and when under assault by his enemies:
Psalms 55:2-3 "Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me."
Psalms 55:5 "Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me."
NOTE (JB): Today, as I put this to the web, on October 6 2017, we have seen more than enough horror, the storms that hit Texas and its neighbors, then Florida, and its neighbour states., and the Caribbean Island nations and States, got hit hared, by two storms, then that evil in Los Vegas, did not, and could not stay in "Vegas". Yet Our President, was an "EYE-WITNESS, as well as our First Lady , was more pain than any couple should be asked to carry, no matter one's political leanings, give then both credit! Still many shall dig and dig, to find even the tiniest bit of dirt!
Matthew 7:5 "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote [speck] out of thy brother's eye."
But who bothers to read, let alone study the Holy Bible? Exodus 20:8-11, as most preacher do not!
THE IMMANENT SAVIOR.
Nothing troubled Jesus' disciples more that His disciples more that His announcement that He was leaving them. As Peter, asked:
Matthew 19:27 "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?"
To this Jesus told them:
John 14:17-18 "Even the Spirit of truth; [ The Holy Spirit] whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."
A service man, friend of mine, was deployed to the Middle East, remaining there for months on end, While his wife and 4 year old daughter remained at home. > nearly each night,, through the magic of Skype, he talked to and saw his family and they him, so that they could keep the bonds of love and family bright and strong. He was not there in person, or physically but was certainly there with them , in spirit. As Jesus said: to those who know Him..
John 14:16-18 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you"
THE SUFFERING SAVIOR.
Concentration-camp survivor Elie Wiesel, in his book NIGHT, tells about a day when the Nazi camp guards were going to hang three offenders, one was a child. "As we returned form our work, we saw three gallows..... All eyes were on the child. He was pale, almost calm, but but he was biting his lips as he stood in the shadows of the gallows...Where is a merciful God?, where is He?' someone behind me asked. At the signal the three chairs were tipped over...Then came the march past the victims, The two men were no longer alive...The child, too light, was still breathing...And so he remained for more than half an hour, hanging there between life and death...Behind me, I heard the same man asking, 'For God's sake, where is God?'...And from within me I heard a voice answer "Where is He? This is where--- hanging hanging here form this gallows.'"
Here is a profound truth: "God is in our pain."!
Isaiah, the prophet, wrote this a thousand years said that Christ suffered for us:
Isaiah 53:4-6 "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
NOTE(JB): as before, who today knows their Bible? most live, life according to this passage.....
2 Timothy 3:1-7 "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
If you do not believe this, that this is a factual description of humanity, as a whole, you have been in a coma for years, or lived as hermit, in mountain top cave, no have hear nor seen any newscast nor read a paper!
In Jesus' suffering, for each and all of humanity, displayed a love from both the Father and the Son, that we can't fully grasp nor understand, as both did this willingly! How many of us would DONATE, a child's live, for anothers? How can one look at the image of Jesus nailed to a cross, and not feel something?
In each and every moment of suffering, GOD IS THERE, wherever there is grief, wherever there is pain, God is there, and that's Holy Ground!
Psalms 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
This was asked by Israel's enemies, the powers that conquered the Jews, and marched them into exile in distant lands while assuming the the Jewish God was powerless.
Yet the psalmist gave answer:
Psalms 115:1-8 "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them."
NOTE (JB): unto them? who them? The man-made gods, the idols, He will make them the people who make and believe in their gods, as their gods, that see not, move not,breathe not, think not, live not! What is YOUR god, today? Your car, your house, your job, your stuff??
Sunday morn, long ago..... Matthew 28:5-6 "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
NOTE (JB): Do Y O U, dear reader, read here the commandment, to change the 4th commandment found in Exodus 20:8-11? Nor is it written or found in any other Bible's verse, as it was men who changed it in 321 A.D. due to a decree by Constantine, to feast on the Venerable day o the Sun-god!That ALL shops shall be open on Saturday, the Bible's Sabbath! Rome followed, and accepted millions of Pagans into their church, with all their customs, robes and processions, and feast days, Ishtar, the Babylonian "Queen of Heaven" Today that's Mary, for Easter along with her fertility symbols of eggs, and bunnies, and hot cross buns, and the Rebirth of sun, December 25th! Rome must think us as stupid, unable to connect the dots/thoughts!
Most know not this fact: Romans 8:34 "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
NOTE ( JB): Intercession for us? For all those who in prayers, have repented and asked for forgiveness of their sins, Jesus reconciles us and becomes our interceder, and actively and intentionally becomes our advocate to the the Father-God! This is why in prayer we are told to ask in His name!
John 14:13-15 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Asking within the Commandments! He is not going to give a 250 mph car to a teenager! Nor a machine gun to a bank robber!
If Y O U dear reader fear of being alone....or "left behind have a Personal relationship founded upon love and trust, and knowing Jesus, He told us this...
THE RESCUING SAVIOR.
John 14:1-3 " Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
NOTE (JB): If you are honest, ask Him in prayers,daily to surrender your will unto Him, and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, daily, for Him to rework your character to be as Christ's! All who truly want to be in heaven shall be there!Because they will make up their minds to please Him, because of LOVE, and because they love the truth, The Word of God! Satan will never use either love nor the full truth!
Now the passage in John is all about His love for His own, but not so for these------
Revelation 1:7 "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."
NOTE (JB): Why are so many wailing? Because there shall be a Judgment:
Revelation 22:12 "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be".
NOTE (JB) : What should be the reward, for all who reject Him, with their disbelief, and covered by sins?
Romans 6:23 " For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(JB) : Rejecting Jesus, is also rejecting His gift of His lif3e for your sins, so it is the Sinner that must pay the price of sin!
Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
( JB): Therefore, all those who reject Christ, knowingly, also reject the gift of salvation He purchased with His own Blood, they'll need to shed all of theirs for their own sins! Simple as that!
Happily, all with Christ within them, will see and hear nothing but joy, at the Judgment, for this can be said is our, "Payday, and Birthday" all rolled into one!
Revelation 20:11-15 "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
( JB ): What's the opposite of "Life eternal"? Eternal death right? All those who do not want God The Father, or Jesus our Savior, they both love us enough to give us what we want, but as both are the source of life itself, well without either there can be no life!
Daniel 12:2 "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
John 3:15-18 "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Sadly, there's no guarantee that there won't be suffering on this earth.
( JB ) : In fact, there shall be suffering, at the hands of man, as well as Satan, who is Prince of this earth, and it is within his power to create disasters, and lead humans to sin, in murders, thefts, rapes, wars, and to drive drunk or high on dope, because each has been given the free-will, that in a requirement for us to be able to choose to do good or to do evil! As what has, and is happening to the Syrian people still to this day, their leader chose their methods, to stay in power, mor in place where there is famine, disease, or natural disasters has occurred. We assure self by Jesus' promises that He is with us through His Spirit; He has suffered with us, and continues to suffer with us. His power is undiminished; He will rescue us at the last.
John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me".
Need/Want more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist any Saturday/Sabbath at 9-10 AM, learn that Heaven loves you, and has a place for you that no other can fill or occupy, but Y O U!
Other sites: blbn.org redeen.international aftv.org. itiswritten.com amazingdiscoveries.org
servantsite @wordpress.com
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