When events unfold like they have this past
weekend, in an attempt to help explain why it happened, the first thing people often
do is try to blame someone for it. It’s as if by blaming someone for it some sort
of relief will come. The blame is really just an out pouring of our hurt and
pain. It becomes a way to try and relieve some of the emotions welling up
inside us.
Sooner or later that blame gets turned toward
God. While most people don’t blame God for causing or carrying out these types
of events they do blame Him for not preventing it. The blame is often in the
form of a question, “So where was God in all this?”
Let me say that there is nothing wrong with
the question, it should be asked. But often the question gets asked as if to
say “if there is a God then he must have been somewhere other than at the
movies that early morning.” Or they ask questioning the very nature of God, “what
kind of God would allow such a thing like this to happen?”
I
have to admit that the answers that are often given to these questions I find weak
and misguided leaving people hanging, confused and even angrier.
I do however believe there are real answers to
these tough questions and if we can wrap our mind and heart around them we can
begin a healing process.
First
let me say God did not do this or cause Friday morning’s events to happen! Yes, he allowed it, but that does not make
Him any less of the great God that He is.
The events of Friday morning only stand to
prove God is real and everything He said is true and trustworthy. If we only
look at events like this from a selfish perspective we will never see God or
His truths being lived out in the world around us. In the unfortunate events
that took place we see the results of what happens when people’s lives are not
yielded to God and His truth and love and grace are not allowed to change or
influence a person’s life.
To understand why God allows these things to
happen – you have to understand how we are created. Of all the things that God
created we were created unique. We were created to do life together with Him. God
created everything and He loves all that He created but of all the things He
created only one thing has the ability to love Him back – mankind! In order for
that to happen, in order for us to love God back He had to uniquely create us.
He had to give us the ability to choose
to love Him back. Otherwise we would just be robot’s, doing what we were
mechanically created to do.
For example, I love my truck, I love my
house, I love my boat, most of the time they give me great satisfaction, unless
they’re in need of being repaired. But as much as I love them they will never
return that love - they can’t – they were not created that way. They have no
choice!
Unlike my truck, house and boat we do have a
choice, we’re not robots or machines, we’re human beings with the freedom to
choose to give love back. Understand that because we have this ability we get to experience all the richness and blessings this life has to offer.
Now for God to choose to create us this way He
was taking a risk. With the ability to
choose to do the right thing we also have the ability to choose to do the wrong
thing. And when we choose to do the wrong thing – nothing good can come from
it.
So
where was God?
He was there in the choices that were being made.
He was there in the choices to do evil. God warns us of the consequences when
we choose not to follow him and apply his truth and love and grace to our
lives!
But the greatest presence of God was seen in
the choices to do good! Friends choosing
to shield others from harm with their own bodies, some actually giving their
life to save another. One friend choosing to stay by her friend’s side applying
pressure to her wound to keep her from bleeding out. God was there in the hugs,
the tears, the words of encouragement and the prayers. God’s promise is that
though we may choose not to stay with him he will never leave us
Over the next couple of days I hope to
provide some hope and understanding in the wake of the events that have
unfolded in Aurora, Colorado. Until tomorrow let me leave you with this…
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter
root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15 NIV84
No comments:
Post a Comment