So many, who so powerfully and effectively preach and teach the Word, actually have to live it while walking really hard roads.

This seems inherently unfair. Couldn’t they be immune from problems and pain?

Why do they get cancer, and rebellious kids, and unfaithful spouses?

Why wouldn’t a Mighty God protect those who seek Him, and seek to tell others about Him, from heartache?

Doesn’t He know some people will not understand when their heroes of the faith walk through hard things and even die when they were helping so many?

Have you wondered these things? Have you wrestled with God? Have you struggled with hard things in this world, in your own life and the lives of those you love?

Tim Keller, has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and he recently wrote, “But if there is a God great enough to merit your anger over the suffering you witness or endure, then there is a God great enough to have reasons for allowing it that you can’t detect. It is not logical to believe in an infinite God and still be convinced that you can tally the sums of good and evil as he does, or to grow angry that he doesn’t always see things your way. Taylor’s point (referenced earlier) is that people say their suffering makes faith in God impossible—but it is in fact their overconfidence in themselves and their abilities that sets them up for anger, fear, and confusion.
When I got my cancer diagnosis, I had to look not only at my professed beliefs, which align with historical Protestant orthodoxy, but also at my actual understanding of God. Had it been shaped by my culture? Had I been slipping unconsciously into the supposition that God lived for me rather than I for him, that life should go well for me, that I knew better than God does how things should go? The answer was yes—to some degree. I found that to embrace God’s greatness, to say “Thy will be done,” was painful at first and then, perhaps counterintuitively, profoundly liberating. To assume that God is as small and finite as we are may feel freeing—but it offers no remedy for anger.” (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/03/tim-keller-growing-my-faith-face-death/618219/)

Friend, in our world today, there are many things I don’t like or understand. But God is Mighty, He is bigger than us and does not have to explain Himself to those He created.

He is not on our level and never has been. His ways are infinitely higher. His deeds are always good. He is indescribably powerful and completely perfect.

I cannot predict Him. I cannot explain Him. He does things all the time that I never saw coming, and He brings good from gut-wrenchingly hard things daily.

Do you realize Christmas is a time to celebrate JUST SUCH a thing!

While we were yet sinners, God sent His only Son to be born of a virgin, and die on a cross, so we might live!

Who among us could have guessed such a thing? Who saw Him bringing good from that? Who would have chosen THAT way?

I’m so thankful God did what I never would have done, or even guessed to do, to save our lost souls!

Oh friend, why would we ever look at this world and think we can explain or predict The Most High and Mighty God?!

That same Mighty God sent His Son to take our sins upon Himself. He suffered and died so we might live!

And while we can’t always trace His MIGHTY Hand this side of Heaven, because we know what He did to save us, we can surely trust our Mighty God’s GOOD HEART!

WHAT A SAVIOR!

aweandwonder

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