In Joy & Sorrow

“It was then that I carried you”

Why does this happen to me? We do not ask that question when something pleasant happens, somebody gives us a gift without expecting it, we get a happy announcement in the mailbox. We are glad to get it and happily go on with our life.

But let something unpleasant, something bad happen and we ask that “why” question. And asking it we realize we really would like to have more than an explanation. We would like to have some justification for it to happen to us. And since God ultimately is in control of everything that happens, we are in a way challenging “God explain yourself, convince us that what you’re doing is right”.

Job lived about 1200 years before Jesus was born. Disaster came upon him in the matter of a few days as robbers stole all his cattle and his donkeys and a violent storm destroyed the home where his sons and daughters were celebrating a birthday and killed them all. And on top of that, a skin disease covered his entire body making him miserable beyond expression.

His response to all these calamities was a simple faith that the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. His wife told him to curse God and die rather than live with these disasters. Three friends came up with another suggestion that he should admit he was guilty of some horrible sin and confess it to God and throw himself on the mercy of God.

After listening to all of these suggestions God asked Job a series of questions about creation. Did Job give any advice to God about the size of the earth, the composition of the earth, the location of the oceans? Since God was able to do all those things that have been good for all people without getting any advice from anybody, then why is God obligated to explain His actions that affect only one person apparently in a negative way for a short period of time?

God Is eternal. He knows not only what has happened, He also knows what is going to happen because He makes all things happen. He did give His Son to die for us, did He not? And through Jesus He makes all things work together for our good, does He not?
When then we feel like screaming to the heavens our demand for an answer to our why questions, a better approach is to take a breath, be still for a while, take a close look at creation, and at a cross, and listen to the love of God’s Holy Spirit whisper in our heart that we are God’s children, and the Father is doing His fatherly work in our lives.

Elmer Schiefer
Pastor. Family of Christ Lutheran Church
elmer@myglobalemail.com
573-529-0584

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