Why?

(Original appeared May 27, 2016)

Why does bad stuff happen to good people? Why does an infant only get 44 days on earth? Why do parents have to suffer the loss of a child? Why does this hurt so badly?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord”. Is 55:8

There’s our answer. By that I mean there is both no answer as well as THE answer all at the same time. First, God’s intentions for us are beyond our comprehension. We don’t know what He has cooked up for us, or how He will use us to cook something up for someone else. Second, He’s in control, and that’s good enough for me. If I had to control each facet of everything going on in the universe that affects my life, I’d fail. Miserably.

What comfort we have that God is fully in control of things we cannot see or understand. Our time with Jacob is no different. When I ask these questions, I think of God’s response to Job during his struggles. To paraphrase Job chapter 38 (one of my favorite “Oh you think you’re so smart” kind of passages), Job has just questioned God and God responds by reminding Job that He’s got things under control:

• Who are you to question me when you don’t know what you’re talking about.
• Were you there when the very foundations of the earth were laid? Did you design it?
• Did you form the land and tell the sea to come this far, and no farther?
• Do you make the sun rise and set?
• Have you even seen the depths of the ocean, or the entire world at a glance?
• If you’re so smart, tell me all about how you form snow, hail, thunder, lightening, light, darkness, rain and plant sprouts.
• Have you been to the stars, or know how they are held together in the sky?
• Are you the one who designed the balance between predator and prey?

The answer to “why” is simply to trust in God fully and completely, knowing that the same one who has created the entire universe – perfectly- surely has a plan for Jacob and for us. And that is good enough for us. – R