I kicked back a few comments to an atheist on Twitter recently (follow me @talk_c) who seemed to think it was an abomination that the privileged should pray to their God, yet the God of the starving and war-stricken does nothing to intervene!
Firstly there is only one God, God of Heaven and Earth, creator of all things. He is not 'good God' to one and 'Bad God' to another, how could that work?
The last act God did that He knew would cause suffering, was to send His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place. He knew then exactly the suffering that was about to be inflicted, yet He went ahead and allowed it to happen because of His overwhelming love for us.
He created a perfect world for us to live in, but we, Humankind, ruined that world through our own choices - as we still do today. One day it will come full circle and we will be able to live in that perfect world as He had envisaged it Isiah 65:17.
God knew how the world would pan out from start to finish, if we chose from the very beginning to only ever follow Him, it would still be perfect. However, we chose not too, so the world is not perfect, it will suffer from natural disasters, people will be cruel to each other and babies will die - because the world is not perfect.
Does this mean He shouldn't have gone through with His plan for creation? Just carried on about His business floating around in nothingness, because He saw the possibility for Human failure?
Not at all. If you are a parent did you think, well one day they might disappoint me so I won't bother having children, or have they brought you far more joy than you could ever know that outweighs the bad times?
I leave you with this thought taken from 'The Life Application Study Bible'. In John 9:3 Jesus talks to his disciples about how a man was blind in order to display the works of God through his life.
Good behaviour is not always rewarded and bad behaviour is not always punished. Innocent people suffer, if God removed suffering every time we asked, we would follow Him for comfort and convenience, not out of love and devotion for Him.
Regardless of the reasons for our suffering, Jesus has the power to help us deal with it, whatever it is. Try not to ask "why did this happen?" or "what did I do wrong?" Instead ask God to give you strength for the trial and a clearer perspective on what is happening.
God Bless you all!
"God knew how the world would pan out from start to finish, if we chose from the very beginning to only ever follow Him, it would still be perfect. However, we chose not too, so the world is not perfect,"
ReplyDeleteSo, when God was planning what particular timeline of earth he was going to create, why didn't he choose the world where everybody freely chooses the good every single time?
Well, if He chose what we would choose, then it wouldn't be our free choice, would it.
ReplyDelete"Regardless of the reasons for our suffering, Jesus has the power to help us deal with it, whatever it is. Try not to ask "why did this happen?" or "what did I do wrong?" Instead ask God to give you strength for the trial and a clearer perspective on what is happening."
ReplyDeleteand that would be why so many vote with their feet to leave the church, chapel and cathedral.
We can either gaze at our navels in wonder at your god or realise he doesn't exist and sort it out for ourselves.
You have obviously been looking for something to fill the void in your life, but have still not found it, having walked away from different religious and spiritual paths.
ReplyDeleteIf you can sort it out for yourself I would suggest maybe you haven't faced your toughest challenge yet.
I can confirm though, naval gazing is not a recommended method of communicating with God, He prefers a prayer.
No, it would be free choice. We would be freely acting according to our will. He would just select such a possible world.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing is Justin, though I suspect you won't accept it, is that He has selected to make such a world, that will one day be available to every single person, not a select few, not a specific number, not only do-gooders, but every single person on Earth who Has the faith to believe in what He has done for us through His Son Jesus on the cross.
ReplyDelete