A couple of weeks ago in our staff meeting we had a discussion about the sovereignty of God. God is all-powerful (omnipotent), able to do all His holy will. God’s sovereignty is His exercise of His power or rule over His creation. In our discussion we talked about God’s ability to stop events from happening and alter events at His will. When we come to life events that seemingly make no sense we can be left with questions about God’s activity or inactivity depending on our view.
The most recent event that seemingly makes no sense is the shooting of the pastor from Maryville, IL. Dr. Fred Winters, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Maryville was shot to death while delivering a sermon yesterday morning. What a horrific event that leaves followers of Jesus around the world wondering why.
As a pastor I frequently come across events in people’s lives that seemingly make no sense. In my own life, I experience events that simply make no sense. The thing is when those events in my life are positive I am quick to praise God and I don’t seem to question God at all. But when the events are negative in my eyes, then a stream of questions flows instead of a river of praise.
What is truly amazing about God is that He is able to work through evil. We can observe throughout Scripture God working through the evil actions and hearts of people. Joseph is one very clear example. Joseph’s brothers were so jealous of him that they sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:28 ESV). Through the evil actions and heart attitudes of Joseph’s brothers God’s plan was being worked out. Joseph was sent ahead of his brothers to Egypt and was eventually able to say to them, “… God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5 ESV). Later in Genesis 50:20 Joseph gave his brothers these words of encouragement, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Another great example of God working through the evil hearts of people is God’s interaction with Pharaoh in Exodus chapters 4-14.
I want to encourage you to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance on how you can pray for Dr. Winter’s family, First Baptist Church, Maryville, as well as the gunman and his family and friends. And then pray for someone else that you know personally that is struggling with circumstances that seemingly make no sense. Then take time to praise God that we can trust Him even when it appears that things don’t make sense.
3 comments:
"Makes no sense" has happened much too often in my life. In my heart and soul I know that God allows things to happen in my life so that one day I may help someone that is traveling the same road I have already been down. I may not agree all of the time with the situations, but I am learning that I can make it through if I lean on God and not myself. I hope and pray that the families involved in the senseless shootings this week will find someone to help them through their grief and many questions they have. I also pray that they will not lose faith. That is exactly what Satan wants to happen, and we need to lift the families up so they do not. I hope I hear God when my time to help someone in need is called upon. I know that one day I will be able to help someone through troubling times. I just need to keep my heart open to hear.
amen
We were discussing this in our study of Daniel last week. God has a history of revamping the devastation of Satan's path into something so profoundly full of His Glory. It amazes me. One such event was the totaltarian reign of the Grecian rular Alexander the Great. Without his horrific domination of most of the world, the Greek language could not have been spread as it had. The Scriptures would not have been understood as widely as they were at their time of translation. Glory be to God!
Post a Comment