Devotion Time #9~

The topic today is on Evil, Pain & Suffering..

What is it like to be living in this world today?
>> As easy-going Christian;
We might be too pre-occupied with our work/pleasure
To live life to the fullest
The adversity of life

In Psalm 88.." it speaks of the pain of rejection.. And that.... HIDE Your face from me.. " -- this shows that darkness is the closest friend to the psalmist..

So question.. Where is God when it hurts? Why is God silent? Why is He hidden?

In Romans 8:18-29.. Describes how the groaning.. it shows a few aspect of reality that:
1. suffering is a fact of our existence
2. pain is personal - every experience is temporary
3. it is dangerous to think that experience is the final authority

Look at the life of Joseph:
It has the longest passages devoted to him in Genesis.. He suffered a lot.. but yet in Gen 45:4 -- .. despite that, God sent me... " shows that he still trust and hope in God even though he suffered a lot.. at times of his innocience and even when he's forgotten in prison.. yet he perservered on.. and His reward.. a whole nation under his rule..

A bit of knowledge: There are 400 years since Joseph to Moses -- which God is silent
And also 400 years between Malachi, the last prophet and Matthew...

In Exodus, God spoke and revealed Himself, yet the Israelites continuously grumble & sinned against God.. the ultimate rebellion >> the golden calf

A problem with us is that... we think that we dun need to pursue after God when He has revealed everything to us..

So some of us will be thinking this.. Why bad things happen to good people >> which results in much of life suffering have no obvious reason(s).. like in Job 13:15

The ultimate plan is revealed in Psa 22 -- ".. why have you forsaken me.." when good things happen to bad people.. But a passage in Psa 73:17 says this.. "till I enter the sanctuary, then I understood.." so its only when we experienced suffering then we can learn to rejoice.. in our weakness.. God's strength is therefore made perfect.. Like the Heros of faith.. as commonly found in Hebrews 11.. God is a God of all comfort >> 2 Cor 4:8-9

For what we seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.. God comforts us when we are in trouble so that we can comfort those who are in trouble..

In Luke 8:22-25, the disciples were looking for the power of God to deliver them..This power is missing..but the Presence of God, Jesus was with them, yet the people were afraid.. only when Jesus demostrated His power, then they acknowledged it..

In closing.. what happens if both the power and the presence of God are missing??

Then it will be God's promise with us that will take us through.. For He has promised..