“GOD OF LOVE: IF GOD IS LOVING, WHY DOES HE ALLOW EVIL AND SUFFERING?”
As we discussed Sunday, I hope you are finding time this week to see God reveal Himself to you in nature and in His Word. This revelation should help us prepare for this next Sunday, when we will tackle a huge topic, the above question. Like a photo mosaic, sometimes it’s hard to see the big picture when we are focused on our own situation. While some are quick to give an answer (such as “God has some purpose in this” or “Something good will come out of this”), in reality, this can be a painful and difficult test. Remember, our purpose in this study is to look at what we believe and why we believe it so we can talk about it.
In preparation for our discussion, read this week’s study in the Learner’s Guide (copies were passed out on Sunday, let me know if you need a copy) and the following passages:
(1) Job 38:1 – 42:9 (The Message) (read this as if you were reading it for the first time and know nothing about the story)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2038:1%20–%2042:9&version=MSG
(2) Romans 8:12-39 (NIV)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208:12-39&version=NIV
These links are to BibleGateway.com. On that page, you can select the version that you want to read. Notice I have selected The Message for the passage in Job. For more information about The Message, see: http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Message-MSG-Bible/.
Take a look at the following:
(1) “Why, God, Why? Facing the painful questions that life keeps asking” by Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Billy Graham, http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/theology/060329.html; and
(2) Blog Post by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, titled “Does God Hate Haiti?,” http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/14/does-god-hate-haiti/.
For examples of a photo mosaic, eat at the Hideaway or go to:
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us%3AIE-Address&rlz=1I7GDNA_en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=photo+mosaic&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
I look forward to our discussion on Sunday. Remember, God who created everything is still in control of His creation. Keep praying for each other, caring for each other and take care of your families. John