Job 38:1-4
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Now [a]prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
Quickword: Why God?
A week ago today, a lone gunman entered the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas and opened fire on unsuspecting teachers and students. We know that two teachers and 19 students were killed. This shooting came on the heels of a shooting in Buffalo Ny where 10 persons were killed by a white supremacist 10 days earlier at a local grocery store. The following day a gunman shot an killed a person at a church and injuring others at church in California. I know there are persons who want to move quickly passed this. They don’t want the discussion over gun regulations and want to dismiss these incidents solely as issues of mental health. Politicians in both parties have reverted to their usual positions. One party that proclaims feverishly that they want to get something done yet who move at a pace that lacks the urgency of the matter. The other party continues to make the flawed arguments that the 2nd amendment allows everyone to bear arms, that the rash of killings are due to mental health and that gun regulations will not help. Matter of fact this party at least in Texas where the Govenor pmand his party controlled the state house and could immediately makes changes to enact reasonable gun regulations. Even more the States two elected Senators could put people before politics at the federal levels and implement reasonable federal regulations for example backgrounds checks and a waiting period to purchase weapons.
Yet here we are a week later and all we have are questions. Since last week, I’ve had questions, not of governmental officials or law enforcement but I’ve been asking God why? Why are innocent children gunned down? Why God is there still so much hatred of people of color by some members of the majority population? Why God would you allow violence in your house of worship? Why God is there so much apathy among believers who proclaim to be pro-life limited only to an unborn fetus. Why God? I know the sovereign God of the universe thro His Grace and Mercy can deal with my questions born out of my human frailties. He has watched as I‘ve read everything and prayed over this last week searching for the answers to my why questions. Job, a man who faced great calamity when his children were killed, when his wealth was lost and his body was overtaken with a great illness never gave up on God. In this text, after being questioned, God responds by questioning Job and in turn answered my questions of why in verse 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.”
My brothers and sisters, there is a word , theodicy which means the vindication of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil. Simply stated, even with the evil events that take place in the world such as the events of the last few weeks and the atrocious conflict in Ukraine and so many other things. God is still God. God is still omnipotent, omnipresence and omniscience. God has all power, He is ever present and all knowing. The hymn writer reminds us in these times to Hold to God’s unchanging hand! Let us continue to pray for the families in Buffalo, NY, Laguna Woods, CA and Uvalde, TX.
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