Why Do People Suffer (August 6, 2007)

This is the question most of us face when we try to reason with the world God created. Our sense of fairness and justice just don't measure up with or reconcile with the God of our imagination. Ezra was a prophet who had the opportunity to ask God this question in the II Book of Edras chapter 6-7. It begins "All this I have spoken before you, O Lord, because you have said that it was for us that you created this world. As for the other nations that have descended from Adam, you have said that they are nothing, and that they are like spittle, and you have compared their abundance to a drop from a bucket. And now O Lord, these nations, which are reputed to be as nothing, domineer over us and devour us. But we your people, whom you have called your firstborn, only begotten, zealous for you, and most dear, have been given into their hands. If the world has indeed been created for us, why do we not possess our world as an inheritance? How long will this be so?

When I had finished speaking these words, the angel who had been sent to me on the former nights was sent to me again. He said to me, "Rise, Ezra, and listen to the words that I have come to speak to you."

I said, "Speak, my Lord." And he said to me, "There is a sea set in a wide expanse so that it is deep and vast, but it has an entrance set in a narrow place, so that it is like a river. If there are those who wish to reach the sea, to look at it or to navigate it, how can they come to the broad part unless they pass through the narrow part? Another example/'There is a city built and set on a plain, and it is full of all good things; but the entrance to it is narrow and set in a precipitous place, so that there is fire on the right hand and deep water on the left. There is only one path lying between them, that is, between the fire and the water, so that only one person can walk on the path. If now the city is given to someone as an inheritance, how will the heir receive the inheritance unless by passing through the appointed danger?

I said, "that is right, Lord." He said to me, "So also is Israel's portion. For I made the world for their sake, and when Adam transgressed my statutes, what had been made was judged. And so the entrances of this world were made narrow and sorrowful and toilsome; they are few and evil, full of dangers and involved in great hardships. But the entrances of the greater world are broad and safe, and yield the fruit of immortality. Therefore unless the living pass through the difficult and futile experiences, they can never receive those things that have been reserved for them. Now therefore why are you disturbed, seeing that you are to perish? Why are you moved, seeing that you are mortal? Why have you not considered in your mind what is to come, rather than what is now present?"

You see, the difficult path is our destiny and in it lies the promise. Those seeking the broad place here are fools. Our futile existence is the narrow path wrought with difficulty that makes us the heirs to the promise. As I was praying on July 31st for some revelation about where we were in this journey this is the Scripture God used to remind me that I should continue to keep my eyes focused on the future where the promise lies and understand that I am walking this dangerous path alone because I am loved as an heir. Again this doesn't reconcile with the spiritual retards who criticize me on this Blog. Nor can it reconcile with your fears and phobias that are misinterpreting the present circumstance. God is mindful of our plight and He does all things well. If we can garner just a mustard seed of faith we will see a God who is far bigger than all our enemies and the evil plans they have for us. Christ once said to Peter after his show of force at the arrest that He could call 24,000 angels to deliver Him. One angel killed 185,000 Assyrians.24,000 should just about handle any threat this world could impose. Yet it was one Son the Christ who bore the problem and He outshined in triumph even a vast army. That is all we need. We have the One Christ who is greater than the angels in total control of our lives. It is time now to enter His rest. Stop toiling and worrying about how this will turn out. It was fixed and planned long before you showed up. Just thank the Lord that He has chosen to bless you and relax, your victory approaches.