Good morning,
Why would a loving God allow a bully to beat up on one of his best friends? I think a good place to start thinking about this issue takes us back to the Old Testament, to Job, the man God called, blameless, a man of complete integrity.(Job 1:1) With God’s permission, Satan was allowed to test this good man to the point that he lost his children, his wealth, his health and his good reputation in a very short period of time. Then Satan was allowed to send three of his best friends to comfort him. The longer they were there trying to comfort him, the more they became convinced that Job was getting what he deserved, even though they had to keep guessing about what had gone wrong. The longer they kept accusing him, the more angry Job became with his friends and his God. Then God himself showed up in a whirlwind with some questions for his friend. God started by saying, "Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?(Job38:2) Before Job knew what was happening, he was asked two chapters worth of questions that only God had the answer to. Then God said to Job, "Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?”(40:2) Job answered, “ I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.”(v.5) Then God asked him, "Will you discredit my justice and condemn me just to prove you are right? Are you as strong as God?(vs.8,9) With that, Job was confronted with two more chapters of questions, and when they ended, Job said, "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.(42:2) The outcome of all this for Job was that he stopped depending on his own goodness and lived the rest of his life fully depending on his God.
I have the feeling that we, in our generation, are entering a time of confusion and painful difficulty like Job, in the Old Testament and the Christians, in the New Testament, faced in their time here on earth. When the Apostle Peter was coming to the end of his life, he lovingly warned the Christians of his day, For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household.(1Pet.4:17) There were times in the last Century that it seemed that the Gospel was taking hold of countries and cultures all over the world. Now, in our generation, people are still coming into God’s family, but the cultural climate that we are living in all over the world, is falling into fear and hate and confusion at a startling rate. Our God still reigns, but sadly the church as a whole seems to still be depending on systems and success instead to hearing and obeying the voice of God. In the past, Our Father has used hard times and painful faithfulness to re-energize his self centered children into a growing and healthy family again, depending on their God instead of their good behavior. It is important that we listen to the rest of what the Lord is telling us in these verses. He tells us, And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News? And also,"If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”(vs.17,18) Then at the end of this warning, our Lord gives us our marching orders for living our our faith under these conditions. He says, So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.(v.19) Dear Lord, please help us to listen and to grow in these times, for your eternal glory.
1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News?
Roy Wisner
