why

We witness a tragedy like the Joplin tornado and we ask why.  Why God, why?  Why did my mom get cancer.  Why did my wife leave me.  Why does my child hate me. Why do I have this condition.  Why did I lose my house.  Why did I lose my job.  Why is my life such a struggle.  Why.  Why.  You get the picture.

We have all been there.  It is the human condition.  There are also many proposed responses.  Some get mad at God.  Some hate him for ever.  Some say that God makes such things happen.  Some say that you deserved it, that somehow you did not have enough faith.  Some blame a big opposite of God devil.

So why.  Why did the tornado hit?  Why are our friends suffering?

Here is my best shot at this as your pastor.  Towards the end of the book of Job, Chapters 38-42 God reminds Job that people will never understand what happens in this world.  Psalm 103 sums it up like this:

13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him

We are not in charge.  This world will always bring us challenge.  But God is not against us.  God is with us.  God is for us.  God stands with us.  These terrible things, as terrible as they are, can cause us to trust him.  We have nothing else in this life.  No promise of health, wealth or comfort.  The only promise that we have is that our God is with us.  His love in fills us. 

May his love and grace comfort those who are suffering so.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.