Verse of the day: Proverbs 16:4 The Lord has made all for Himself, Yes, even
the wicked for the day of doom.
So
often we hear said, and we have even said, that God is still in control. When
we see or hear of tragic events, whether in the life of others or our own, our
faith is challenged and stretched, as we try to figure out why God would allow
the things He allows to happen. How often have we heard, “Why do bad things
happen to good people?” Well, for the record, there are no “good people”. The
Word of God tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
(Rm 3:23). It is only in Jesus that we are declared righteous before God.
Nonetheless, bad things do happen to God’s children, and often to those who are
doing their best to live holy and righteous lives. So, how is it that God
allows such things to happen to born again believers when we belong to Him? God
always has a purpose for all that He allows, even when we do not understand it.
We, and everything (and everyone) around us, belong to Him. We are His
creation, and He is the One who decides how He will use us and what He will
allow into our lives. Will we always like what He allows? The short answer is
no. However, He did promise to work all things together for our good (Rm 8:28).
In Romans chapter 9, the Apostle Paul reminds us that God is the Potter and we
are the clay. When Pharaoh hardened his heart, God used it to show His awesome
power over man and creation. He chose to use Pharaoh to glorify His name by
allowing Pharaoh to oppress and go after His people. In the end, God delivered
Moses and the Israelites in a way that demonstrated that our God is unstoppable
when He is the One who is on our side (Exo 14). In the New Testament we are
reminded that if God is for us, who can be against us (Rom 8:31). In Job’s
life, God allowed many tragedies to enter his life, from losing his children in
death, having his wealth taken, and allowing Satan to afflict him physically
(Job 1 & 2). Did God have the right to allow this? Of course He did! Why?
Because He is God, and that is exactly what He showed Job when He began to
question Job about creation and how it functions (Job 38-42). He asked Job a
great number of questions for which he had no answer. In the end, Job
acknowledged that he was wrong in even thinking that he could question God for
what had happened. How often have we heard said, or we ourselves have said, “When
I see God, I will ask Him why…” The truth of the matter is that, just like Job,
when we encounter God personally, we will be left speechless when we realize
just how great He is and how much control He really does possess (and that we
are nothing in comparison). Our God is omnipotent (all powerful), and nothing
gets past Him unless He allows it. In the end, God used Satan to prove a point,
and Job ended up with his health restored, twice the number of children, and
twice as much wealth, as when this ordeal first started. God uses that which is
evil (man’s wicked deeds) to mature us in our faith. He uses them to grow us
and teach us how to respond to them in a more Christ-like manner. What seems tragic
to us, in some way God will use for our good and His glory. Even Satan is used
for God’s purposes. Was it not his attempt to kill Christ (by entering Judas)
that brought us eternal life, just as God planned it (Lk 22:3)? Regardless of
whether it is Satan or man, neither can go beyond the boundaries set by God in
whatever it is they set out to do. Again, in Job’s life, Satan had to go before
God to give account for what he was doing, and it was God who set the boundaries
of what he could do or not do (Job 1 & 2). This is still as true today as
it was then. God allows the wicked to do what they do, but they are deceived in
thinking that they are the ones who control how much wickedness they can do and
get away with. In the end, even Satan will be punished for his wickedness; for
neither man or demon will escape God’s judgment (Rev 20:7-15). The bottom line
is that God has created all things, and all of humanity, for His purposes. Man
has gone astray, and even in their wickedness God will use them for His
purposes, and for His glory. Joseph’s brother’s betrayed him and sold him into
slavery. He suffered for many years, but in the end God used Joseph to save His
people. With all that he suffered, he was still able to see and acknowledge
that all that befell him was part of God’s plan for his life. In Genesis 50:20,
Joseph says this to his brothers, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” His
response to his brothers is one that we need to hold on to, and ponder,
whenever we suffer at the hands of unrighteous and wicked people. Our God is in
control of all, He sees all, and nothing escapes His eyes (Pro 15:3) or goes
beyond whatever boundaries He sets.
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