Big questions tonight.
I believe God is all-knowing. Why, then, did He do... well, everything? Why create an angel that He knew would fall? Why allow the birth of sin and evil? If God knew what Lucifer would do, and it is in His ability to control life (in that He could simply will for Lucifer to cease existing), why not do it? Obviously, God is all-powerful and He can do whatever He wants- He is not bound or limited by anything but His own divine will. Is His will being done when He is passive, i.e. letting Lucifer live? When He doesn't heal someone? When He allows evil to be done? Does God do things, by not doing them?
Even the idea of free will does not cover this question. Free will is something that God gave to us because that was HIS will. We wouldn't have it if God didn't want us to. So... knowing that our choices will be sinful, knowing that Lucifer would choose to become Satan- why even give us the choice?
It's obviously not wrong of God to do anything. What He says is right, because He is God. I am not questioning the morality of His judgements and decisions. God does not sin, He is not the author of evil. Everything He does, no matter our human interpretation of it, is good. But, I have the curiosity of mortal man, the confusion of a simpler intellect, and to be honest, the limitations and leanings of a sinful heart. I know God is just and He is right, because of who He is. So how can we understand God? We cannot, in many ways. As smart as we may be, we still don't have the mind to comprehend Something so great. At some point, we must admit that our understanding can go no farther, that our minds have stretched into the incomprehensible as far as humanly possible.
I'm not saying we shouldn't strive to know and understand God. Of course we should. I guess what I'm saying is that when it doesn't make sense to us, when the answers to those cosmic questions seem distant or vague, what are we left to do?
Enter faith. Such a small word, so easy to overlook... But it's the cornerstone of the Christian life. Take that away, and the rest just crumbles. Because if we're looking for all the answers to justify our faith, well, that's not faith. We won't find all the answers in this earthly world.
Paul says, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."
Answers await us, and that is the comfort faith gives us. I don't know right now why God does or doesn't do certain things... but I do know that He loves me, and works all things for good.
Big questions seem like they should have really big answers. And some do. But others, they are just five letter words.
Faith.
Posted by Shannon at August 3, 2004 10:47 PM | TrackBackI read a book a couple of weeks ago about the Founding Fathers and their religious views. This book covered George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and Benjamin Franklin. All were reared in the religious traditions of that day: Anglican or Lutheran or Episcopalian, etc. Yet, all men seemed to stray from the belief in a personal relationship with Christ. Instead, all men, according to this one author's suggestion, subscribed, in part or in whole, to Deism. Deism is the belief in God, a Supreme Being. Deism believes that God basically created the universe and then retired to a rocking chair on the porch of Heaven to watch everything. He granted man intellect, and the world is what man makes of it through his intellect. It's a very impersonal view of the Omnipotent.
Anyway, according to this book, our Founding Fathers did not consume the entire Bible because parts of it required a suspension of their intellect. There are parts of the Bible that cannot be explained by reason, and so the Founders just simply ignored those parts. If that author's suggestions are true, it seems to me that our Founding Fathers (at least those six studied in the book) did not have a firm grasp of faith. It's a paradox to me why anyone would follow a religion without faith. What's the point? If I didn't have faith in God and His Word, I would be in utter despair.
Posted by: Joey Wolfe at August 4, 2004 10:20 AMI don't know... I don't have to know... and I don't need to know... are perfectly acceptable answers to me... and while other people might not like hearing them from me... I don't mind giving them...
I agree... it's not meant for me to understand and know everything... it's okay to seek wisdom and understanding as far as my ability to comprehend will allow... but faith weaves a golden thread through that comprenhension... and when that comprehension has reached it's limit... faith continues... and is all the answer I need... I trust Him implicitly... no matter what...
It doesn't mean everything makes sense... it doesn't make all the hurts go away... but it heals the heart... and strengthens the soul... and lights the way Home...
Posted by: Aunt Vickie at August 4, 2004 11:35 AM