Title: God and Suffering
Author: Robert Dawson
Text: Mark 4:39-41, Psalm 100:5
Researcher George Barna was tasked with asking people, "What one question would you ask God if you had the opportunity?" Unsurprisingly the overwhelming response, the one question people would ask God was, "Why is there so much suffering in the world?"
In times like these, when we see destruction with our own eyes, whether it is that around us or the pictures and images that pour in from other places, and we hear the tragic stories of loss,death, and suffering, we begin asking these types of questions, ultimate questions.
Most of us understand, to some degree, the evil and suffering that comes directly from the choices and actions of people. While it doesn't lessen the pain or remove the questions, we understand human responsibility and free-will. It doesn't calm our fears or alleviate our grief, but we understand it.
Natural disasters invite a different set of questions. We can't connect that kind of destruction, loss, and suffering to a specific moral evil committed by a person. They are beyond our control. While they are beyond our control, we know, even lost people know, people who don't normally give much thought to God know they are not beyond His. People often call them "Acts of God."
I know people believe that because...
- When that storm or natural disaster hits people start praying. Folks who don't pray - pray. People, who give little thought to God in their daily lives, were praying in their closets, hallways and bathtubs when the storm hit. When flood waters rose so did their prayers.
- People pray for good weather for their family outings, ballgames, reunions, and weddings. We pray for good weather when we have fall-festivals and egg-hunts.
Why? Because people believe there is a God and He is in control, even of the weather.
We would say that God is sovereign and that extends to all things, including natural disasters.
- We know the ...
Author: Robert Dawson
Text: Mark 4:39-41, Psalm 100:5
Researcher George Barna was tasked with asking people, "What one question would you ask God if you had the opportunity?" Unsurprisingly the overwhelming response, the one question people would ask God was, "Why is there so much suffering in the world?"
In times like these, when we see destruction with our own eyes, whether it is that around us or the pictures and images that pour in from other places, and we hear the tragic stories of loss,death, and suffering, we begin asking these types of questions, ultimate questions.
Most of us understand, to some degree, the evil and suffering that comes directly from the choices and actions of people. While it doesn't lessen the pain or remove the questions, we understand human responsibility and free-will. It doesn't calm our fears or alleviate our grief, but we understand it.
Natural disasters invite a different set of questions. We can't connect that kind of destruction, loss, and suffering to a specific moral evil committed by a person. They are beyond our control. While they are beyond our control, we know, even lost people know, people who don't normally give much thought to God know they are not beyond His. People often call them "Acts of God."
I know people believe that because...
- When that storm or natural disaster hits people start praying. Folks who don't pray - pray. People, who give little thought to God in their daily lives, were praying in their closets, hallways and bathtubs when the storm hit. When flood waters rose so did their prayers.
- People pray for good weather for their family outings, ballgames, reunions, and weddings. We pray for good weather when we have fall-festivals and egg-hunts.
Why? Because people believe there is a God and He is in control, even of the weather.
We would say that God is sovereign and that extends to all things, including natural disasters.
- We know the ...
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