God Didn’t Know

There was a bombing in Cagayan de Oro last July, and my girls heard us talking about it. We usually entertain their questions about what’s happening in the world. I can’t remember anymore what other thing we were talking about, but Danae was saying that God protected so and so, that’s why he or she is still alive. Noelle then said that GOD DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE BOMB IN CAGAN DE ORO (this is how she pronounces it), THAT’S WHY SOME PEOPLE DIED.

In Noelle’s mind, if God knew about it, He would have done something to protect those people for sure. But since they died, God must not have known about it.

Of course I reminded her of the truth that God knows everything. I told her that He did know about the bomb even before it happened. Naturally, the next question from Danae was, WHY DIDN’T GOD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

I told my girls that there are times that God allows things to happen for a reason. Many times, we don’t understand why, but we have to continue to trust in Him because He is always good, He has a plan and He knows better. They accepted it, and it hasn’t come up again….YET.

Don’t these thoughts appear in our minds as well, when bad things happen? If God is so good and He knows everything that will happen, why does He let the bad things “slide”? If God is so powerful, why doesn’t He use His power to rid the world of evil and let good prevail?

Well if I knew all the answers, I would BE GOD. But I’m not. Neither are you. So let’s just trust the One who IS. He knows the big picture. He knows the whole story and every detail of it. He knows every single person that He created, He knows their hearts and minds, He knows their destiny. He knows how it’s going to play out and He knows how it’s going to end. He is everywhere at all times. He is almighty and He can do anything. He is sovereign and He can do what He wants with the world and His people. He is also infinitely wise and strategic. He is just, merciful and gracious. He is unchanging.

But most importantly, He loves us.

Why don’t we ever question it when good things happen to us? Why is it so easy for us to receive them, to assume that it is the way it is supposed to be? Why do we think we deserve goodness? Why don’t we ever wonder why we are still breathing, strong and healthy today? Why don’t we ever wonder why we have such amazing kids, or a fruitful career, or faithful friends, or a loving family, or incredible opportunities?

Funny how we attribute bad events to God’s work or His “passivity,” and attribute good things in our lives to chance, luck, or our own ability.

The truth is we deserve nothing. We are sinners and we deserve nothing but death. And yet, God deemed us worthy of His Son’s life — a full life for us here on earth and eternal life afterwards, in exchange for Jesus’ death on the cross. Despite OUR sin that separated us from our Creator, He wants us back. He loves us that much. We are getting the complete opposite of what we deserve. As if giving us “The Ticket” (Jesus) to get to heaven when we die is not enough, He gives us His presence, favor, grace, blessings now as we live our earthly lives. He is not a passive God. He is present, actively loving us every second of each day.

God has given us every reason to trust Him, to trust in His love. He is faithful. He is worthy.

He has given us every reason to be grateful.  So let’s be grateful. In all circumstances. Whether we understand them or not.

 

Lord, you have examined me
    and know all about me.
You know when I sit down and when I get up.
    You know my thoughts before I think them.
You know where I go and where I lie down.
    You know everything I do.
Lord, even before I say a word,
    you already know it.
You are all around me—in front and in back—
    and have put your hand on me.
Your knowledge is amazing to me;
    it is more than I can understand. Psalm 139:1-6 NCV

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all. 1 Chronicles 29:11-12

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. Psalm 111:7

 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18