A Beginning Prayer

20 years ago life took a turn for the worst. At least that is true of our nation. But for many people life was already at a pretty low point. But it was a day when we say close to 3,000 people die, without any warning.

The big problem: evil, suffering and a “good God”.

This is the number one reason why people do not come to accept salvation in Jesus or turn away from Jesus. It has many different variants, “Why do good people suffer?” How could a loving God allow…? If God is all powerful and all knowing why doesn’t he stop…?

There are no “easy” or “simple” answers.

There are answers but nothing I would even venture to say as being “easy” or “simple”.

Scripture does not hide from the question of evil and God’s goodness.

The better prepared we are the better we can handle. We cannot plan for everything but we can do as Jesus said in the parable of the wise builder, “build on the solid foundation”. It is my hope that as we go through this series we see how much Scripture has to say on this topic. We need not be afraid of the question but we must be willing to understand.

The reality: not “if” but “when”.

The reality is we will all experience suffering and the evil of this world. The only way to escape it is to not be in the world.

Habakkuk 1:1–4 NIV

The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received. How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

How long O Lord...

This is the beginning prayer that will lead us into a path of understanding.

Revelation 6:10–11 NIV

They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

This prayer is grounded in truth.

The truth: this is not how it is supposed to be!

This prayer is grounded in pain.

We cannot deny what we experience. Our experiences are not full truth but we cannot just “think” or “wish” them away.

“Mental Health is a commitment to reality at all costs.” M. Scott Peck

Though he utters the words about mental health I may change it to just “Health...”

This prayer is grounded in hope.

As we will see through this journey we are on there is hope in the midst of suffering and pain and evil and terrorism and pandemics and corruption and injustice and conspiracy theories and abuse and fill in the blank.

Our hope is found in the glory of Christ.

This may sound simple and easy, but it is far from the truth. It requires me to not only sit in my pain but also see the pain of another, namely Christ’s pain. In so doing I don’t alway get “healed” or “feel better” but I see Scripture stating, I have been there as well. Where? The cross. The place where God’s glory and evil, suffering, pain, torment, met.

Romans 5:2–5 (NIV)

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.