Freedom in the Church for New Years 2020
Does God Create Evil?
Each moment any of us questions the evil of life’s difficulties that affects our well-being we ask, “Why God have you let me face this malady?” We are such a bruised people that whenever a problem arises that has no quick explanation or a blueprint for us to follow to eradicate it we look to God as if He created it for our good. Create it he did not, but using it for our benefit challenges our ability to ascertain the unknown which ultimately becomes a blessing for our progeny coming after us.
Evil exists of this we can be sure. Is God aware of the ultimate results this evil will affect our weakened existence from which on our own we will never be successful in freeing ourselves from? Of course, and that’s exactly why the Lord will never leave our side. Life is full of mysteries and most of them are beyond our comprehension which confounds any possible way for us to solve them. It is necessary for you and me, to seek the answers of the unknown that can not be resolved using the finite abilities we have, but to find the pattern of solving the hidden ambiguities we face.
Did the call of a number of Old Testament prophets come without problems each faced? No! As we will see each one encountered his own set of circumstances that could have stopped most in their tracks, but God saw them through a divine mystery.
This mystery has its beginning with the Call of Abraham, (Gen. 12: ff). One of the main demands given to him was the order to sacrifice his son Issac. Why would a Loving God exact such a demand on one he loved? Of course we now know this was the precursor of God’s Son being asked to become a sacrifice on Calvary. An evil that was played out as the victor over sin.
Joseph, son of Jacob, great grandson of Abraham, whose life was a close parallel to the life of Jesus, betrayed, suffered, and forgiving his betrayers. He was placed in a dry-well, left and sold to traders by his brothers, brought to Egypt and accused of rape, imprisoned by the Pharaoh, and became the impetus to save Egypt and ultimately Israel from famine. (Gen. 37: 1 ff).
Moses, set afloat by his mother during a time of the slaughtering of boys with a decree by the the king of Egypt, endured his many experiences of pain and exclusion from Egypt until he saw a burning bush. Even his following God’s demand for him to bring the Hebrews out of Egypt, the journey was filled with grief for him. Yet, his ministry was one of the steps God used to free you and me from eternal death. (Ex. 2: 23 ff).
King David, a man whom God loved to even forgiving his discretions of adultery and murder used his position to become the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Sm. 11: 1 ff).
Can you see the pattern of weak humans that God chose to complete this Mystery of the Church as He presented his Plan to share his Life and Love with mankind.
Before we forget, Paul wrote 13 letters and epistles, that have been responsible for more than half the New Testament. Of all the many prophets who have suffered innumerable complications as they moved forth with their role for God’s kingdom, Paul probably suffered more than any of them. He was imprisoned, ship wrecked, escaped being caught by enemies more than once, and finally was beheaded.
With all of the above examples it is easy to see the evil clutches of life’s setbacks can make a rampart of any worthwhile approach to spread the good news and becoming a martyr for God. Yet, each one is but a worthy wound we are asked to perform. God allows these evils to exist as part of his plan to share his Life and Love with us.
Ralph B. Hathaway, God’s One Plan for us.