Category: Devotional

Why Do Good Things Happen to Bad People?

When people propose the oft-asked question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” there are several assumptions. That bad things exist (who decides what events go into each category), that there are good people (same question as before), and that the aforementioned ‘bad things’ should happen to the assumed ‘bad people’.

We have this sense of fairness that runs through us and the assumption is that “good things” ought to happen to “good people” and “bad things” ought to happen to “bad people”. But that’s not really what happens. The secular world points to this phenomenon and says, “Clearly there cannot be a God (because there is no cosmic justice)!”

There is also an assumption built into this statement: that God has the same goals and values that we do. This is false. Somehow we got it in our heads that God’s desire is NOT to see as many as possible saved from their own sin and destruction, but rather to make a comfortable home for his human pets here on earth.

Job likely had no idea that his experience would be recorded for all time and that people suffering grief and loss would find solace in it’s pages for millennia to come. In fact, I know one young man who found faith by reading the book of Job. When God confronts Job later in the book says, “were you there when I laid the foundations of the world?” this young man was convicted by the Lord and submitted his life to God after recognizing His power and authority, and lack of answerability to His creation.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. — Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

Job 15-18 | 023/365

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth

Do not be afraid. We hear God and his angels say this so often when they appear in the Biblical narrative that one wonders if perhaps it is the standard greeting in Heaven. But I think this phrase has another application. Job accuses his friends of lying in order to defend God. I think this is a challenge we should receive as Christians today… and every day, for that matter.

How often are we tempted to soften God’s truth. We like to shave off the corners, and sand down the rough edges until we’ve taken the brick for building and turned into a smooth river stone. God does not need our defence. Especially if we are going to misrepresent Him. That judgement will get overturned on appeal anyway.

God flooded the world, drowning almost the entire earth’s population.

God killed the guy who touched the ark, who was only trying to help.

God authorized the slaughter of the Canaanites, He created, He destroys.

God chose to bless and use people who were terrible, like Saul or Saul.

God doesn’t want us to like Him, He wants us to understand who He is. So don’t bother trying to win people to kinder, gentler, fuzzier god… that is NOT the God who created the universe. Once you start changing God so that He better fits our contemporary ideas of what a god should be, you are headed down the slippery slope of preaching what the Apostle Paul calls “another gospel”.

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth. So help me God.

Job 12-14 | 022/365

On Mockery of God

During one monologue Job claims his innocence while insisting that God is far off and indifferent to the suffering of the righteous, or even enjoying it. In response his friend, Zophar, says — basically — “You want God to speak? Well, clearly He has!” He then goes on to say, quite forthrightly, that Job is mocking God. This is a serious accusation, and one that the Apostle Paul would address a great many years later, writing in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (NIV)

The natural question, then is, what does it mean to ‘mock God’? Well, classically we would think it means any one — or combination of — the following; disrespect, dishonour, willful ignorance, ridicule, defiance, contempt, or hostility. These are typically the actions of the non-believer, and we do see Job wrestling with what has happened and trying to understand God’s actions and motivations, I don’t see these particular verbs happening in Job’s speech.

It is the desire of Job’s heart to talk with God, even going so far as to ask for a mediator. He is seeking understanding in a time of immense suffering. This is normal. And talking through our emotions is often a helpful catharsis. But…

Not all mockery happens by outsiders. American Preacher Charles G. Finley wrote, “To mock God is to pretend to love and serve him when we do not; to act in a false manner, to be insincere and hypocritical in our professions, pretending to obey him, love, serve, and worship him, when we do not. . . . Mocking God grieves the Holy Spirit, and sears the conscience; and thus the bands of sin become stronger and stronger. The heart becomes gradually hardened by such a process.”

I think this is a good opportunity to examine our hearts and ask God to come and do a work in the secret place, the most inner parts of us that we keep hidden away from the world.

Lord, have your way in every part of me. Break my flesh. Lead me into all righteousness. Help me rid my life of the sin that seeks to destroy me. Thank you, Jesus.

Job 8-12 | 021/365

Good Council Is Not Always Good Council

Let me explain. Job has been stripped of everything but His life. By God — of at least by God’s consent and decree. He was, however, righteous and blameless as the account records. His friends show up and offer their speeches, Eliphaz is the first to speak with Job and his counsel is good. Resentment destroys the fool! Jealousy kills the simple! God bring correction to those He loves! This is all true and would be great advice… just not for Job in this situation. Job was not resentful or Jealous or in need of correction when these trials befell him. Rather he was a faithful man who loved and feared the Lord.

We must remember that when bad things happen, they are not necessarily judgement from God. So that when we are on the receiving end of some terrible news or situation, God is not necessarily punishing us and when we are in times of great news and prosperity, God is not necessarily blessing us — though we should still be looking for opportunities to learn in both circumstances.

And if a friend is going through something, don’t come in strong with a “What sin led you to this situation?” approach. Weep, mourn, and pray with those who are broken. And as you continue to seek the Lord through the healing process, He will reveal His purposes in good time.

Let’s strive to be quick to hear and slow to speak.

Job 5-7 | 020/365

Love in the Trenches

Job is a righteous and prosperous man. He fears God and loves his children. He would offer sacrifices on behalf of his children, in case they had sinned incidentally or accidentally. It was common belief among the worshippers of pagans gods that those deities were capricious and easily offended, so it is not clear if Job is trying to stay on God’s good side, or if he recognizes the need to sacrifice because of the holiness of the one true God.

So the accuser (we should not assume this person is Satan) says that Job is not worshipping God, but rather trying to appease Him. God — being omniscient — already know Job’s heart, but for reasons not revealed to us here He consents to have tragedy befall Job. And it does.

In a matter of minutes everything is taken away from Job, including all of his children. This absolutely devastating turn of events would be enough to push anyone to brink of despair. Surely this would be enough to push Job over the edge. But his reply is as humbling as it is shocking… upon losing everything Job remarks:

“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be made naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!”

I’ve heard the story too many times to count. People love and worship God so long as things are going well for them. They look at the misery and destruction around the world and it phases them not. But when that misery and/or destruction knocks on their door… God must not exist. It’s okay when it happens to others, but when it happens to me it is proof that God cannot be real.

This is the epitome of self-centredness. Like we’ve talked about before, an eternal perspective is key. It won’t make these things easier to bear, but it will help us understand that when calamity befalls us that God is still in charge, and that this life is but a breath. Those among us who have MUCH can all-too-easily find ourselves worshipping a God of good times and convenience. But those among us who have little, find all their hope in God.

Maybe in some cases those of us who are well-off, are poorer than those who have nothing.

Job 1-4 | 019/365

Cold Comfort and Eternal Perspective

Rachel. The wife Jacob loved. Just to hear it hurts. Nevermind actually BEING Leah, the first wife — the one without the ‘sparkle’ in her eyes. She lived her life in Rachel’s shadow. When Jacob was afraid of his brother Esau coming to exact revenge, he lined up the concubines and their children first, then Leah with her children, Jacob was in the last wave with Rachel. An inspiring picture of male headship at it best.

Back in Genesis 35 we read about Rachel dying after giving birth to Benjamin, and she was buried there in the desert. Meanwhile at the very end of Genesis, Jacob asks to be buried in the family tomb with Abraham & Sarah, Rebekah & Isaac… and Leah. Her body is already there waiting for him. After a lifetime of faithfulness to a man who didn’t love her. Who probably raised her sister’s children when Rachel passed away. She would be the one Jacob asked to be buried next to. He would grow to love her.

And more than that, God had a plan for Leah. She was the mother of Levi. The man whose priestly tribe would produce Moses, the one who would receive the next Divine Covenant from the LORD. She was also the mother of Judah. A wild man whose tribe would produce King David, the one who would receive the next Divine Covenant after Moses. And of course, Jesus Himself, the bringer of the New Covenant would come from the line of David the king, from the line of Judah the lion, from the line of Leah, the loved of God.

It can be cold comfort to know that we have treasures in Heaven or that God is using our suffering for some greater good, but we need to keep an eternal perspective. Even if we are here for more than 100 years, Heaven is eternal. When we’ve been there 10,000 years bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’d first begun.

Genesis 47:28-50:26 | 018/365

Effectively Resurrected

He was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. He was brutally killed by savages. His blood spilled. His death mourned. He took love and hope and joy to the grave. Surely this was the worst of times. This is the new reality. He would no longer be the favoured son. He is now a memory. A scar. Death, after all, is a permanent thing. Or is it?

News came. He was not dead! He was still alive! Merely hearing the news from the first ones to see was enough to revive the spirit. But this was an exceptional event! Something like this had to be seen to be believed. Good news indeed!

Of course the picture I have painted here is easily evocative of Jesus, but the details also fit Jacob’s perspective on the life of his son, Joseph. Here, I think, is the very first foreshadowing of the resurrection, a son whose “death” allowed for the flourishing of God’s people. Death and brokenness bringing about new and renewed life is a common theme throughout the Bible.

And this is yet another of many reminders that God is in charge. He has a plan. He will not leave us nor forsake us, but our perspective has to remain eternal. Love and hope and joy are gifts that comes from Jesus, the one who beat Satan, death, demons, the grave, and hell to bring them to us. This is something that we should be thankful for every time we breathe.

Genesis 45:16-47:27 | 017/365

Whose Will Be Done?

“I admit the deed! — tear up the planks! — here, here! — it is the beating of his hideous heart!” The satisfying release can almost be felt as we reading the thrilling conclusion of Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’. It is the story of a man whose guilt consumes him, until he can do nothing other than admit the deed. His conscience haunted him. It is a similar condition in which we find Joseph’s brothers during today’s reading.

They are struck by the famine Joseph predicted, and so make the trek to Egypt where food has been stored for exactly this occasion. Joseph’s Brothers bring money to Egypt to purchase food as their own supplies have nearly run out. They do not recognize Joseph when they come before him to request to purchase food. Joseph questions the brothers extensively before telling them that unless they bring their youngest brother, they’ll not be allowed to purchase any additional food. So they pay for their portion and head back to Canaan.

Along the way, they find that they have not only the food they purchased, but also the money paid in their bags. A secret blessing from Joseph. But they cannot even receive the blessing, they were still, after all these years, consumed with guilt about what they had done to their brother. It is a curse! they thought, God was surely punishing them. They could never go back.

But eventually they were forced to return. Now we pull God’s careful positioning of Joseph back out of the pocket from yesterday. Because it was during this trip that Jacob revealed himself saying, “God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors” (Gen 45:7, NLT). Does this mean that God orchestrates evil events to bring about good? Some faithful Christians would say that He does. But I would say that God, in His omniscience, knows what each of us would do in any given circumstance and that He factored in the evil free-will choices of mankind when he providentially arranged the world.

Is it good that you did a bad thing because it achieved God’s Will? No. But God’s Will cannot be defeated by the works of mankind either. His Will be done. Amen.

Genesis 42:1-45:15 | 016/365

Abandoned by God?

A Wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to. This famous line by Gandalf the Grey introduces us to the character and sets a tone for how we see him, and how he sees himself. It is no secret that J.R.R. Tolkien was a Christian and close friend of C.S. Lewis. And we can see reflections of Christian thoughts about good and evil and temptation and the darkness inside of us strewn throughout Middle Earth.

This line in particular is one that always stuck me as true of God. In particular His providential plans. Nothing happens before it’s time. God told Abraham the land of Canaan would be his… in 400 years. Because the Canaanites had not yet become lost to their own wickedness. God tells David a King will come from His line whose Kingdom will last forever. Again, it would be about 400 years before Jesus would be born to fulfill that promise. We see such things over and over again throughout the Bible.

Today’s story is no different, even if the timeline is substantially shorter. Joseph uses his God-given gift of dream interpretation to help out fellow prisoners who were from Pharaoh’s house. Joseph asks the cup-bearer to plead his case to Pharaoh on his behalf, that Joseph might be released to go home to his family. The cup-bearer agreed, then promptly forgot.

But God had other plans for Joseph. Some time later Pharaoh had a dream that he wanted interpreted. NOW the cup-bearer remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh. Upon correctly interpreting Pharaoh’s dream and warning him about an impending famine, Joseph is hastily foisted into command of all of Egypt under only Pharaoh himself. This position would benefit not only Jospeh, but also his family in a powerful way. But for now we’ll stick that in our pocket, ’cause we’ll come back to it later.

This point is this: I don’t know why you are going through what you are going through. I don’t know why it’s hard for you right now. But, just as Hagar said, the Lord is “El Roi”, the God who sees you. You have not been abandoned, there is something coming. Because the Lord is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

Genesis 35:38-39, 40:1-41:57 | 015/365

Bold As Love

Anger! He smiles
Towering in shiny metallic purple armor
Queen jealousy, envy waits behind him
Her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground

Jimi Hendrix rightly recognizes that jealousy often fuels the wrong kinds of anger. Such is the case with Joseph’s brothers. There’s plenty to be jealous about, Joseph is the youngest and the apple of his father’s eye. The little brother is a snitch. And Jospeh also appears to have no filter of any kind. When Joseph shares the dreams about his family bowing down to him, it is not clear from the text whether he is trying to flaunt/taunt his brother with it because they are so mean to him, or whether Jospeh just has a hard time reading the room.

In any case, his brother plot to kill him, but Reuben talks them into merely abandoning him in a well to die of starvation or exposure. Of course his real plan was to go rescue Joseph later, but that part is never said aloud. Well, Judah realizes they can make some cash off the deal by selling Joseph to the passing Ishmaelite traders. Later Reuben comes to rescue his brother only to find that he is gone. Similarly, Jacob is told that Joseph was mauled to death by a wild animal and mourns for a long time.

If we know that something is wrong, it isn’t enough to simply think it’s wrong and make a secret plan to circumvent the wrong-doers, we must be willing to stand up, be unpopular, possibly even be hated in order to do what is right. And by ‘right’ I mean righteous. We cannot allow ourselves to have a timid love, that is hidden and only allowed out when we think we are in the majority or it won’t ruffle any feathers. We must be bold. Bold as love.

128k.ca