Where is God?

How could a loving God allow Covid-19 to happen?

Here are the options that people come up with

1. Unaware 2. Powerless 3. Doesn’t care 4. Not Real

2. Powerless

2. Powerless

3. Doesn’t care

4. Doesn’t exist

What does God say about Himself?

Ever present God All Powerful Steadfast Love The Only God

Tozer----

ever present

All Powerful

Steadfast Love

The only God

Proof of God’s existence

Higher moral code

Nature’s order

God exists but is He good?

If God is good, powerful, aware and cares then why is there so much pain in this world?

1. Love

2. Free-will

Do you want God to remove pain and suffering?

He would have to remove people. (Kill everyone… that’s evil)

OR

Remove freedom

What about the pain that isn’t caused by man,

what about Covidien-19?

Hurricanes and earthquakes?

2004 a tsunami struck Indonesia on dec 27. So powerful that it momentarily stopped the rotation of the earth.

about 230,000 of people died. Men, women, children. What did we do to deserve this? Why did the children have to die?

If God exists, why is there suffering in this world? How could Covidien-19 exists?

The fact that this question gets raised in the hearts of people tells us something. When a loved one dies, when an earthquake happens, a child with cancer. Something rises up in our hearts and says…. that’s not right.

There is a moral code hardwired into our hearts

God has written eternity on our hearts

John 16:7–11 ESV

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

The Bible says fully explain it to us… and I think its because of the first reason.

Job- my ways are higher

Communication gap- Why? Because I said so…. There is a gap in understanding and consequence.

God said to want you to trust me…. Trust my character and trust that I will work out things for your benefit.

Does God intervene? Yes. Does it happen always? No. Do I think we could experience more of God’s intervention that we do? Yes.

There is also a second clue..

The story of the fall….

Creation is a gift meant to woo us to Him We turned our attention away from the creator and turned to the creation.

We fell

Paul wrote- God put creation under frustration

Romans 8:18–25 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Frustration in the GREEK-?

explain passage?

The problem with this is that worship of self or what is created leads us away from God… who is the author of life….and towards death.

So God frustrated creation- So that mankind might remember that their hope isn’t in themselves or in what is created around them… but in Him. That they may cry out to Him.

Luke 13:1–5 ESV

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

We are not in control Turn your eyes upward

Speak of Jesus from this passage and end.

Where is God? He is right here.