Religion (4) God did a good job today!

I've been thinking about what tests our faith, why we abandon the church, and why we abandon God. Some of it has to do with what other Christians do. For a lot of people, that critical moment of testing comes with something that God "does" or, more correctly in many cases, allows. Note on allowing things. If there was a bank robbery today, I allowed it. If there was a murder today, I allowed it. If there was a rape today, I allowed it. If there was a lie today, I allowed it. I allowed all of those things because I didn't stop them. Granted, I didn't know about most of them, and I was probably powerless to stop them had I known. So I'm off the hook. Nobody will write a bad article in the newspaper because I didn't act to stop a theft in London. Nobody is cursing my name because they were raped in Perth. God doesn't get the same break. He knew it all was happening, he even knew it would happen so long ago. He also had the power to stop it, drawback of the whole omnipotence thing, I suppose. So the same way you would blame me if I was babysitting your toddler and just watched him stick his hand in a mousetrap we blame God. (I don't particularly like toddlers, btw, so don't ask me to babysit. Just don't do it.) So we go about our lives thinking that God has it all under control and is doing things "in his timing" until our best friend is killed by a drunk driver, or our spouse gets cancer, or, or, or, ... Then we shake a well deserved fist at heaven and cry out, "Why did you do this?" Again, more correctly, "Why did you let this happen?" I have thoughts on this. They may appear to be random ones, but that's okay here.

I can't speak for rain or floods or drought or hurricanes or tornados, but those drunk drivers, drug addicts, crazed gang members, Enron executives, etc., they all have free will. If God stop the free will actions of those who would, purposefully or not, hurt those whose free will was to worship him could he justly, and remember that justness is one of his character attributes, leave his worshipers with free will. "As long as you choose to do what I want you to do you're free to do whatever you want, because it's what I want. If you choose to do something I don't want you to do then free will is gone for you and I'll take you over and make you do the right thing, it's the good thing about being omnipotent." He could still sort us out, he'd know if it were him or us. I don't think he can play us that way, though. I think he prevents him from doing it. (Character of God.) And what's more ...

I don't think he really cares. Our character and eternity is where his concern rest. The great, Godly plan for most people is that they die. I just don't see where the type of death is in consideration next to the type of life. I also can't see why the Army would really care if you got the dinner you really wanted on the battlefield. The do care that you get fed. Sorry, sir, we're all out of lobster. Hell is for demons, people will go there. It's not why hell was made, but Godly justice demands that some people will end up there. A natural consequence of free will is that some will rebel. A natural consequence of rebellion is suffering. For us to be able to worship meaningfully, and I mean that marionette worship means nothing, it must be done in our free will so ultimately we must face suffering. I have to work to get a paycheck. I wouldn't do it if they didn't pay me. I "suffer" the work for the blessings of my check. I suffer in life for the blessings of an eternal relationship with God. God gives a better return than my boss. I cannot exptect monetary blessings without putting up with the work, and I can even find my way to a thankful heart when payday comes and the bills are due. "Thank you for the work I hated, I hope you have more for me next week." If we recognize the suffering for what it is, an offshoot of our free will relationship with God, we can get to the place Paul was at, and be thankful in persecution.

Hitler rose to power and started what would become a world war and a terrible genocide.
God did a good job that day.
A plague swept over Europe and killed over a quarter of the population.
God did a good job that day.
A tsunami swept through the Indian Ocean and killed thousands.
God did a good job that day.
A hurricane hit the gulf coast and destroyed the entire region.
God did a good job that day.
Terrorist flew planes into buildings on 9/11.
God did a good job that day.
President Bush pushed through unconstitutional provisions that took away our protected rights following 9/11.
God did a good job that day.
My dad's cancer has gotten way worse, he stopped chemo because it's not effective, he can no longer take care of himself, he placed himself on a list for hospice care, he's just waiting to die. I hate today.
God did a good job today.