This morning I was thinking about how often I've heard people blame God and doubt His love because of circumstances they see in the world. I've often heard, "If God is a God of love how could He allow this, or that, to happen?" So I have been thinking about what it means to be a father.
Often our children are hurt because of decisions they make. Do we question whether a parent loves a child who is hit by a car as he darts across the street to chase a ball he's playing with? What about those who choose to experiment with sex, or drugs, or alcohol and become addicted? Parent could prevent many of these things by locking their children in the house. That would keep them free from harm! But what would we think of a parent who did this? We would judge him/her, saying how will that child ever grow up-- how will he learn to make decisions on his own if he isn't exposed to the real world, wouldn't we? And yet when God allows us to make our own decisions and reap the consequences, we blame Him for what happens.
God has already given us as much help as we need to avoid much of the tragedy that happens in the world today. He has given us a handbook--the Bible--that explains the laws of life. He sent Jesus to show us how to live a righteous life in a fallen world, and then to die to 'wipe our slate clean' so that we could become righteous. Then to ensure that we are able to live as Jesus did, He sent His Holy Spirit to live in us to guide us, and help us make the right decisions. But He gives us the choice to choose His ways. It is our decision--we can choose His ways, or ours. He allows us to 'grow up'.
What a loving Father! How often we forget! We ignore and reject the help He has provided, and then blame Him when we choose, either willfully or in ignorance, to disobey His laws. And still He loves us!
Often our children are hurt because of decisions they make. Do we question whether a parent loves a child who is hit by a car as he darts across the street to chase a ball he's playing with? What about those who choose to experiment with sex, or drugs, or alcohol and become addicted? Parent could prevent many of these things by locking their children in the house. That would keep them free from harm! But what would we think of a parent who did this? We would judge him/her, saying how will that child ever grow up-- how will he learn to make decisions on his own if he isn't exposed to the real world, wouldn't we? And yet when God allows us to make our own decisions and reap the consequences, we blame Him for what happens.
God has already given us as much help as we need to avoid much of the tragedy that happens in the world today. He has given us a handbook--the Bible--that explains the laws of life. He sent Jesus to show us how to live a righteous life in a fallen world, and then to die to 'wipe our slate clean' so that we could become righteous. Then to ensure that we are able to live as Jesus did, He sent His Holy Spirit to live in us to guide us, and help us make the right decisions. But He gives us the choice to choose His ways. It is our decision--we can choose His ways, or ours. He allows us to 'grow up'.
What a loving Father! How often we forget! We ignore and reject the help He has provided, and then blame Him when we choose, either willfully or in ignorance, to disobey His laws. And still He loves us!
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