WHY, GOD?

‭Acts of the Apostles 17:27-28 NLT‬
[27] “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. [28] For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ “

I’ve borrowed my title from Philip Yancey’s book because it aptly asks the question we all ask when life turns sour.

Sometimes, when life deals us a really hard blow, we wonder, “Where is God? Is He really in charge? Why did this happen to me?”

Job had been living a blessed life and blessing others…healthy, prosperous, a wife and great family, a good name, honoured in his community, generous and full of good works but, in a few days, everything was gone, even his wife turned against him.

This was Job’s cry when he was reduced to sitting on an ash heap, scraping his painful sores, “God, where are you?”

‭Job 23:3 NLT‬
[3]”If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court.”

‭Job 23:8-9 NLT‬
[8] “I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. [9] I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed.”

Do you feel like Job felt in your pain and suffering?

Where is God? Is He beyond our reach? What does the Bible say?

Many Scriptures reassure us that God is everywhere.

Solomon prayed…

‭1 Kings 8:27 NLT‬
[27] “But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!”

If God fills heaven, the universe, the entire creation, then He must be everywhere, even encasing the earth in His presence.

David prayed…

‭Psalms 139:7-12 NLT‬
[7]”I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! [8] If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. [9] If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, [10] even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. [11] I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— [12] but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”

The witness of Scripture assures us that we are encased in God’s presence, above us, beneath us, and all around us,…and even within us by His Spirit.

So, when disaster strikes, where is God? Right there! All around us! He knows! He supervises! He is in charge! He’s doing something…for our good.

All He requires from us is trust. Trouble is, we collapse in self-pity before He has finished what He started. What if we remained calm, and stayed on the path until we understand what He is doing in our lives. We may not like what has happened but the outcome may be far better than we anticipated.

Job discovered, when he let God finish what He started, that the God he trusted was worthy of all his trust because He is always good.

‭‭Psalms 34:18-20 NLT‬
[18] “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. [19] The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. [20] For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!”

Let’s learn the truth of what Paul said, “In Him we live, and move, and exist.” When we are sure that we are encased in God’s presence every moment, whatever happens, good or bad, God is there, and God is good. We can trust Him. He is faithful. He will work it out for our good and for His glory.