posted by Dave Miller
In light of Clete's posts, God didn't come through. Even
though we blame Benny, in the end its God that didn't come
through. I can think of several families with similar stories
that pursued medical treatments, and faith based prayer,
laying on of hands, and still, children die, people die.
And in light of Balder's threads. Genocide in the name of
God, at the commandment of God, at the hands of God.
The threat of eternal damnation, people I know and love
being sentenced to that, whether I am or not.
And then there are those who live a cursed life, doomed to
eternal damnation: Homosexuals,
until recently left handed people, Moslems, Buddhists, Taoists,
even Jews.
Can we forgive God?
Dave
reply by Chileice:
It's a good question, Dave... but is it the only question?
Can we thank God?
We pray all the time and yet we never seem to get to the thanks part. We remember the disappointments, but do we also remember the unexpected blessings? or even the blessings in disguise? What about things like my dad dying when I was a kid.
Was it bad? Yes. Terrible. But then my mom remarried, my stepdad was a good man who actually took us to a church where I later came to know Christ. Blessing or curse? Lots of things in the life I now live would have been different.
Blessings have come from all directions and many of them came after I didn't get what I wanted from God. So who is at fault? Maybe instead of blame I should be thankful. Maybe we are part of a large mosaic and we are but chips on the wall. What we see makes little sense. What God sees is a masterpiece. I really doubt God failed Clete's Father-in-law- He certainly could have saved him anyway. But maybe hid death will serve an even greater good. What do we know? When my older brother died, I almost decided God didn't exist. As his ashes when flying toward heaven, I looked up and asked if that's all there was. It made no sense for a 28 year-old to be killed out of the blue while just doing his job. It still makes no sense. But God has also led me through a million trials in ways that cannot be explained apart from His presence and grace. So do I curse him for taking my two brothers, my dad, my sister or do I bless Him for bringing them into my life, for the amazing legacy I have been given, for hope when I should be hopeless, for help when I should be helpless?
Do I only choose to bless God when I get my way? If so, I am an ungrateful SOB of a child now aren't I? But I am not a bastard child. I am one bought by his blood and born of the Spirit and one that can say with Habakkuk, that I will praise Him even if the fruit trees don't blossom, even if the fields produce no food, even if all I have is ruined, because there is something greater, something that lies beyond my poor powers of comprehension.
And I am a wildly deluded man, I am more human for it. More loving, more compassionate and more sane. And if I am indeed experiencing what I feel... the presence of the Creator, I am blessed beyond words. This current suffering is nothing compared to the wiehgt of glory that awaits us.
So blame God if you like. He is big enought o take it. But do it at the peril of your own contentment. For you will never come to peace if you strive against Him, if your finte mind tries to define the Infinite, if you refuse to be loved for fear you might be wrong. We have all been disappointed by God, but we do not understand the whole picture. But we have all also been blessed by Him... even when we didn't deserve it. So take time to be thankful. It is good for your soul.
