Bomb Threats, Embassy Attacks, and God
Our world is becoming increasingly unsettled.
Last week ended with university campuses emptied because of bomb threats, attacks on multiple United States Embassies, and our flags burned in various cities worldwide. Many people with whom I’ve talked are feeling anxious for today and about the future.
A friend and I were discussing God’s sovereignty and Satan’s ability to wreak havoc.
Scripture says:
God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much . . . Ephesians 2:4
Jesus Christ has saved you by rising from the dead.
He has gone into heaven. He is at God’s right hand.
Angels, authorities and powers are under His control. 1 Peter 3:21b-22
1. God is love and is in control of everything.
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. John 10:10
The devil, the prince of this world. John 16:11
We know that we are children of God
and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19
2. Satan is evil and the “prince of this world.”
Who is in charge?
When the news is depressing and we’re afraid it seems like Satan is in charge, but he is only able to do what God allows.
Why does a loving God allow evil?
I wish there was a simple answer for that question. Here are a couple of excellent posts that I found thorough and helpful.
Rick Warren – Why Does God Allow Evil? In it he says that evil exists because God has given us freedom of choice and people are sin-filled and selfish.
Reporter Alex Murashko for Christian Post – How to Answer “Why Would God Allow Evil?” Murashko’s synopsis of Mark Mittelberg’s chapter on the subject from his book, The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask.
- Even though our circumstances are terrible, in them God may be protecting us from something much worse.
- Because of God’s great love, His primary goal is to work in us so that we will not be separated from Him eternally. He is able to work in us and use any situation to that end.
- God uses us to witness to those who don’t know and trust Him when we remain faithful through suffering.
Races aren’t always won by those who run fast.
Battles aren’t always won by those who are strong.
Wise people don’t always have plenty of food.
Clever people aren’t always wealthy.
Those who have learned a lot aren’t always favored.
God controls the timing of every event.
He also controls how things turn out. Ecclesiastes 9:11
Photo Credit – FoxNews
I agree with Rick Warren – evil is inevitable with free will. And I’m thinking it might have been a sacrifice for God to give us free will.
Just think of us with our adult kids – if we had the ability to stop them from making bad choices, wouldn’t it be a sacrifice to stand back and say, “Okay, you guys, I’m going to let you do that even though I know you’re regret it one day and that it will bring pain and misery into your lives?”
God gets blames for evil which is a result of free will – when it was an act of a loving God to give us free will!
Good morning Barb, Great analogy with our children. It is painful to watch decisions we know will ultimately cause pain and heartache. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for God to watch people He loves make the choice to be separated from Him forever. Yet, making us puppets would not give us the freedom to truly know the experience of love.
His ways are such a complex mystery but so beautifully wonderful. What a day it will be when it all becomes clear.
I think the same thing when I have pain over people I love walking away from God – I know how painful it is for me and I think, how can God handle all that pain? I don’t see how giving us free will couldn’t be a big sacrifice on God’s part.
“I don’t see how giving us free will couldn’t be a big sacrifice on God’s part.”
We rarely think of it that way. Beautiful!