7-10-2023

Good Morning All,

   Job 38:4; “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell me, if you have understanding.”

    This might offend some of you but if it does, at least think about it.  This is part of God’s response to Job’s complaint against God.  Job suffered much; most of us would probably agree that he got the short end of the deal.  He then complained to God about God’s fairness and God’s wisdom in his actions.  God then launches a set of questions which show Job how little he actually knows or understands.  Two chapters later, Job offers one of the best lines in the Bible.  The jist of it is that Job realizes he should just sit down and be quiet (Job 40: 3-5)

    Job realized that God is far wiser than he can ever imagine.  Isaiah says that God looks down on man as if man is a grasshopper.  We look at these verses and usually nod our agreement, but do we truly believe it?  Or do we question God like Job does?

     Have you ever said, or have you ever heard someone use the phrase, “The God that I believe in wouldn’t let that happen?’ Or maybe, “The God I believe in would never allow someone to go to hell or punish sinners or allow babies to suffer and die.”  Or maybe, “The God I believe would not condemn homosexuality or abortion.”  Many people, people who claim to take their faith seriously, state this and these people are in error.  Anytime we use the phrase, “The God that I believe in” we are not expressing faith in God, but we are making someone into the god that we want. We are, in essence, being God and then creating the God that we want; that is convenient at the time to believe in or soothes our conscience when we read God’s Word and see our own sin.  Instead of reading God’s Word and saying,” I am sorry for falling short, for sinning, and ask for your mercy and forgiveness;” we say, “The god that I believe in doesn’t worry about that.”

    When we do this, we do many things.  First, we deny our sin.  This leads to denying the need for forgiveness and lastly it reduces the cost of what Christ did for us.  In many ways this is a type of “cheap grace” that has been spoken of in the past.  This “cheap grace” results from believing that sin really isn’t that big a deal; it cheapens what Christ has done for us.  It is a way for the devil and our sinful nature to lead us away from Christ and our salvation.  So, what do we do?

    One of the first things and probably the hardest thing is for you and me as Christians to stop trying to explain God and what happens in the world.   I do not know why God allows young children to suffer and die from cancer or any one of a number of other causes.  I do not know why God does a lot of things.  When I try to figure it out, that is when I really struggle.  It is when I rely on faith; faith in God’s promise and Word of salvation that I can cope.  It is when I realize that God is the One who died for me and that this shows his love and benevolence for me.  When I trust that all works for the good of those who are called according to his purpose, is when there is the most peace in my life.

   Many will claim that this is just putting your head in the sand, but this doesn’t free me from sharing God’s love.  The Christian in this setting does not judge the person but does point out the pain that the sin causes and how that sin continues to separate from God.  It is a challenge to remain faithful to God’s Word in a world that chooses to attack you, but God’s Word is faithful to us, and we should be to it also.

Dearest Lord, You alone know all things and control all things.  Keep us mindful of your grace and mercy and give us the comfort that this knowledge gives us.  Guard us and protect us from all evil.  In your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret