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Thursday, September 20, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Where is GOD?
Last week we commemorated 9/11, one of the darkest moments of the 21st Century. 3000 thousand innocent lives died in the hands merciless individuals driven by hate. In the event of 9/11, many questions arose. Preacher after preacher tried to interpret the situation and others tried to link it to Biblical situations. 
It led many around the world to ask the question, "Where is God". Where was God in the midst of all this. A Nebraska Senator has even went ahead and sued God over natural disasters. We all remember Jesus' final words on the cross Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani. Does God really care during and after a disaster? Is God watching and surprised like us whenever a catastrophe occurs?
Epicurus, who lived 342-270 B.C., presented three concepts about God and human suffering: (1) If God wishes to prevent evil and cannot, He is not all powerful; (2) If God can prevent evil and will not, He is not good; (3) If God has the power and will to eliminate evil, why is there evil in the world? Epicurus didn't understand who God is but deep on the inside I am sure he felt a little bit different about all that he said about God. He was writing from "I wanna know more" point of view, "so I ask."
The truth of the matters is: God is there when it all happens. Sometimes we misuse the freedom he has given us do things our own way without honoring him at all. But God's love still surrounds us and each one of us called to respond and to share in his love. God is in the prayer vigils. He is in the rivers of tears flowing from everyone affected. He is in the community coming together to offer support to the families. He is at work in the love and strength people are offering each other. God is with us. Thomas Andrew Dorsey was a black jazz musician from Atlanta. In the twenties he gained a certain amount of notoriety as the composer of jazz tunes with suggestive lyrics, but he gave all that up in 1926 to concentrate exclusively on spiritual music. "Peace in the Valley" is one of his best known songs, but there is a story behind his most famous song that deserves to be told.
In 1932 the times were hard for Dorsey. Just trying to survive the depression years as a working musician meant tough sledding. On top of that, his music was not accepted by many people. Some said it was much too worldly-the devil's music, they called it. Many years later Dorsey could laugh about it. He said, "I got kicked out of some of the best churches in the land." But the real kick in the teeth came one night in St. Louis when he received a telegram informing him that his pregnant wife had died suddenly.
Dorsey was so filled with grief that his faith was shaken to the roots, but instead of wallowing in self-pity, he turned to the discipline he knew best-music. In the midst of agony he wrote the following lyrics:
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand.
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light;
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.
If you live long enough, you will experience heartache, disappointment, and sheer helplessness. The Lord is our most precious resource in those hours of trauma. "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble (Psa_9:9). Tom Dorsey understood that. His song was originally written as a way of coping with his personal pain, but even today it continues to bless thousands of others when they pass through times of hardship. Rom 8:18, For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed in us.
He was there in the Lion's Den when Daniel was thrown in there
He was there in the Colosseum when people were thrown to be eaten by the Lions
He was there in the fiery furnace when Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace
He was there when Paul was beaten and left to die at the City gates
He was there when King David was being pursued by Saul and wondered where he would hide and be safe...He was there with our Lord Jesus on the very last breath...
He was there ........ and He will be there.
It led many around the world to ask the question, "Where is God". Where was God in the midst of all this. A Nebraska Senator has even went ahead and sued God over natural disasters. We all remember Jesus' final words on the cross Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani. Does God really care during and after a disaster? Is God watching and surprised like us whenever a catastrophe occurs?
Epicurus, who lived 342-270 B.C., presented three concepts about God and human suffering: (1) If God wishes to prevent evil and cannot, He is not all powerful; (2) If God can prevent evil and will not, He is not good; (3) If God has the power and will to eliminate evil, why is there evil in the world? Epicurus didn't understand who God is but deep on the inside I am sure he felt a little bit different about all that he said about God. He was writing from "I wanna know more" point of view, "so I ask."
The truth of the matters is: God is there when it all happens. Sometimes we misuse the freedom he has given us do things our own way without honoring him at all. But God's love still surrounds us and each one of us called to respond and to share in his love. God is in the prayer vigils. He is in the rivers of tears flowing from everyone affected. He is in the community coming together to offer support to the families. He is at work in the love and strength people are offering each other. God is with us. Thomas Andrew Dorsey was a black jazz musician from Atlanta. In the twenties he gained a certain amount of notoriety as the composer of jazz tunes with suggestive lyrics, but he gave all that up in 1926 to concentrate exclusively on spiritual music. "Peace in the Valley" is one of his best known songs, but there is a story behind his most famous song that deserves to be told.
In 1932 the times were hard for Dorsey. Just trying to survive the depression years as a working musician meant tough sledding. On top of that, his music was not accepted by many people. Some said it was much too worldly-the devil's music, they called it. Many years later Dorsey could laugh about it. He said, "I got kicked out of some of the best churches in the land." But the real kick in the teeth came one night in St. Louis when he received a telegram informing him that his pregnant wife had died suddenly.
Dorsey was so filled with grief that his faith was shaken to the roots, but instead of wallowing in self-pity, he turned to the discipline he knew best-music. In the midst of agony he wrote the following lyrics:
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand.
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light;
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.
If you live long enough, you will experience heartache, disappointment, and sheer helplessness. The Lord is our most precious resource in those hours of trauma. "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble (Psa_9:9). Tom Dorsey understood that. His song was originally written as a way of coping with his personal pain, but even today it continues to bless thousands of others when they pass through times of hardship. Rom 8:18, For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed in us.
He was there in the Lion's Den when Daniel was thrown in there
He was there in the Colosseum when people were thrown to be eaten by the Lions
He was there in the fiery furnace when Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace
He was there when Paul was beaten and left to die at the City gates
He was there when King David was being pursued by Saul and wondered where he would hide and be safe...He was there with our Lord Jesus on the very last breath...
He was there ........ and He will be there.
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