God is good all the time; all the time God is good!
What an amazing God we serve! Last Sunday Pastor Mike spoke on a subject that I believe all of mankind has dealt with at some time or another. Pastor Mike helped us have a better understanding on the question: “God why ____?”. God why did my Grandmother have to die? God why did my father-in-law have to get lung cancer? God why is my grandfather not saved after years and years of praying for his salvation? God why did you allow me to have a learning disability growing up? God why did you allow this to happen to me? All of us have the “God why___?” questions and to be completely honest some of those questions might not be answered on this side of eternity. I do not want to sit here an give you an answer that’s made up or might sound good on paper but when the hard times come it doesn’t really mean anything. I want to be real and I want to try to make a real difference. Therefore, in the next paragraph I am going to be completely honest an share my heart.
Life sucks sometimes, there I said it. The reason life is unfair is because of sin. It’s not because of God it’s because of sin. Just as darkness is the absence of light, evil is the absence of good; sin is the absence of God who is the essence of good. From the time Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden according to Genesis chapter 3 life has been unfair. The world is polluted and falling because of sin. That is why bad things happen. However, for those that are in Christ we have a hope, a peace, and a joy even in the sucky times of life. That does not mean we will always feel joy, peace, hope but we do have the opportunity to tap into those emotions because of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside us to provide those feelings of comfort.
The Apostle Paul is a great example of what I’m talking about. Being persecuted day after day and having every right to ask the question “God why ______?” Paul wrote this to the church in Rome: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28-39 NASB). I don’t know what you’re going through right now or what big questions you might be asking God but I do know the Savior loves you and desires to be your comfort.
Family Pastor
Joseph Brown