Why God Why?
Why God would you want to heal anyone and despite all of the world’s best attempts at sabotage still to this day love fallen man? What is so important about the man that you care so much about him (Psalms 8:4)? You go to great lengths for man and he does not even thank you. Man destroys man; yet, you take the destroyer and change them into a restorer. Why God why? Is the answer “love and forgiveness”? The restored man pays a huge price for being restored and does so gladly. Paul was a murderer and that must not be forgotten. Yet from his past life came a powerhouse in the 1st century. How much more can be done today when your people arise from their slumber and put on our weapons of warfare (Ephesians 6: 10-16, 2nd Corinthians 10:3-6)?
You consider us your greatest pride and joy (Hebrews 12:2). Sometimes it is very difficult to understand how that is possible. When I look around the world today, I see all of the works of man in motion; New technology enables us to destroy from thousands of miles away and with a single button wipes out land masses, lives, and great treasures; Drugs pour into the country by the ton to give to customers who in turn pay out cash to smoke their brain for some elusive dream; men and women lost their moral compass. Why God do you love us? In the news, police officers and civilians alike are getting killed for some imagined offense. Why God do you love us and care for us so much? We’ve ingrained the words of hate so much so that we portray it on Facebook, Twitter, and many other social networks. It is reported of innocent people being put to death out of pure hatred, the victim’s charge “being a Christian and aiding the helpless”. So God, how could you possibly love a fallen man so much? The Psalmist asked the same question and the reason was that you made us to be the head, not the tail (Psalms 8:4-9).
Over 2000 years ago in our timeline, a boy child named Jesus was born into this very sinful world filled with all of the hate, all of the crime, all of the destruction, and all of the filth to bring a people back to you. The religious leaders hated him but, in the same love and compassion that you possess, he reached the likes of the 12 apostles who in turn brought in others whom he loved and cared for 10s of 1000’s of people were saved by your son’s message and provided for. Jesus never harmed a single person, hated anyone but, showed your love and compassion instead. In fact, it was reported that he dined with the wrong groups, didn’t follow the man-made laws of service, ministered to the dirt of society, and even said “tear down this temple and in 3 days I will rebuild it” (John 2:19). In the end, the leaders had him executed for the charge “he claims to be the King of the Jews” as only a King could make that kind of decisions; there was only room for one king and that was Caesar (John 19:15). The leaders chose to bow down to a selfish, self-seeking, immoral, and unjust king rather than a righteous and just King because their plumb positions were at stake (John 11:48).
Why God do you still love us these many years later? Could it be that while the world focuses on the evil, that good is arising to take back the lost world? Is this the time of Elijah? All of our very best hate and disgust is no match for your love and grace. The Devil hates us and uses us against us all in the name of revenge for something that happened long before the beginning of time (Revelations 12:1-6, Genesis 4:1-8). All of the ice of hate melts in the presence of your love. God, you see our brokenness, you see beyond our words of hate, your love pierces the darkness of our soul. Your love melts away all of the ice to get to the heart of the problems of our life. From our failures, you bring successes; from the pits of hate, you bring forth a light that shines in dark places. From hopelessness, you bring forth a new hope, a new joy, and a new reason to live. In this time as we prepare for a new president, angry words are spoken, lies are peddled, and “all hope is lost” is spread yet, I know that from all of it will come to your word. In another generation, others will arise to follow your word and so I have hope. The enemy of our soul uses phrases like “all hope is lost”, “we’re doomed”, and “it would be better if I were dead” to get the human to accept such phrases and thereby bring them to where the enemy really wants them.
Thank you, Father, for never giving up hope in this world despite how bad it appears, it can all be cleaned up. The men and women of the world will always be self-seeking, self-indulgent, and fearful but, even at that, it is no match for you and your grace. If somebody, like Paul, can be forgiven, healed, and restored, there is hope for all of humanity. You had every reason to give up hope on a man but, you never did despite all of the wars, all of the disease, the pain, and turmoil man has created, you never gave up hope.
Why God why? Because you call us your children and you see always beyond the disparaging words to the very heart of your children. When Elijah was at his end and ready to quit, your word “yet, I have reserved 7,000 who have not bowed a knee to Baal” echoed the word of hope and the word of “quit if you will, quit if you must” still rings true today (1 Kings 19:18). Your word says, “Never give up hope” not because it is a quint thing to say or to rally the troops but, with the intent to for us to get our eyes off of the destruction and the mess of a dying world and onto the solution (Joshua 1:9). You oh God are a strong, sustainable and life-giving foundation that anyone who will accept your gift will never be ashamed for doing so (Romans 10:11). We may not like what the solution will be but, we can be assured that from it we will have a new lease on life.
Yours for the victory
Mike
Mikes Encouragement 