Where Was He?

In telling her story, the mother of a prodigal wrote:

“Since our daughter’s ungodly choices, we have grieved for the loss of our close family relationships, for our witness in our community and family, over the eventual consequences of her decisions, and even grieved that God would allow this to happen”

On the other hand, a non-believing mother followed up on a note expressing our gratitude that her Christian daughter was only bruised in an accident and wrote:

“If there were a God, why would He allow such a thing to happen to someone who loves Him?”

I think of these this morning as I wait for it to be late enough to call my sister-in-law. She and her husband have served the Lord faithfully for many years. They were instrumental in starting a church in their previous hometown and have just returned to the town of their birth. They have experienced more serious medical problems than all of the other family members combined, surviving diseases and surgeries none of us have had to face.

Yesterday, [correction made] while driving his son and daughter to school, their son blacked out and hit a telephone pole. There were no serious injuries, but why would God allow such things to happen?

Faith is not an all-protective shield given by God that wraps His people in a bubble of safety. Everyone on this planet moves through their day subject to certain laws of gravity, entropy and other aspects of our physical world. While we all move through these laws of physics, there are some who appear to do so unscathed while others appear picked on by a fickle finger of fate.

It is my belief that all of this unfolds within God’s plan. No one is immune from trials any more than one is immune from God’s undeserved gift of grace. I believe that even those who live within his guidance will experience difficulties that cannot be explained here and now.

I also believe that God knows all about it.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. [Matthew 10:30 KJV]

As Isaiah wrote regarding the Day of the Lord, all things happen that He might be glorified:

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. [Isaiah 61:3 KJV]

Does that make it any less painful? Not in the least. Does that make any easier to overcome sorrow? In some ways, it does. Think about what faith is.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [Hebrews 11:1 KJV]

With that hope, those unseen things, we are able to approach our Lord in prayer (again, an insubstantial action) and receive what He has for us.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6-7 KJV]

That peace is a comfort.

NO!! This is not my nephew's car!!

The photo was sporked from the Uncyclopedia Wiki,

a parody site of Wikipedia -- but the photo fits, doesn't it?