IS GOD STILL GOOD WHEN LIFE IS NOT?

Arguably the most oft raised objection to the Biblical, Christian view of things is captured in the question, "How can God be good when life is not?"  We wonder why the existence of an all-powerful, utterly good (APUG) God doesn't lead to a blissful existence for all He has created.  We wonder why this APUG God doesn't more consistently keep evil or difficulty or tragedy at bay for us.

WHERE WAS GOD WHEN _______ HAPPENED?

Years ago, I was asked to participate in a panel discussion one evening held at the Memorial Union at Iowa State University.  The panel was convened after the catastrophic tsunami obliterated much of the coastlines and peoples along the Asian Pacific rim.  So much death.  So much destruction.  Where was this "good" God?

A number on the panel gave their answers to "where was God?" when this happened.  Most of the answers were of the Rabbi-Kushner-kind (his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People)--that God was (is) incapable of preventing such tragedies in our world, but that "He is with us in the suffering and in the expressions of compassion and help" which followed as the world responded to the needs. In other words, God is as much as a victim of these things as we creatures are.

That sounds nice (sort of), and kinda gives God a "pass," but upon further reflection, isn't actually true.  Yes, God is with us in the suffering and present in the expressions of love toward hurting people, but God is not incapable of preventing natural disasters.  If He were so incapable, frankly He would not be God.

Missing in the majority of answers was a more thoroughly Biblical perspective.  Namely, that God created this world and universe in a "very good" way (Genesis 1), but that man's moral choice of rebellion and sin against God resulted in a "fallenness" in all creation - not only in the spiritual make-up of humans but also in the physical workings of creation.  Tragedies of every kind (natural disasters, plagues, the desolations of war, etc.) speak volumes to the horrible nature of man's moral rebellion of God, and illustrate in the physical order the sinfulness of sin.  And the truth is that God does not suspend the consequences of sin for us; He lets us be subject to them, so that we might understand even more deeply and profoundly we need His Son, Jesus Christ.

LIFE'S BADNESS SHOULD NEED US TO HUMBLE REPENTANCE

Evil, tragedy, death -- all of these result from the free choices God gave our ancestors Adam and Eve, and gives us today.  We live in a crippled, fallen creation, and we do well to remember that even on the beautiful, sun-shining days when life "feels" better at the moment.  The vestiges of God's wonderful, original handiwork still shine through, but should not lull us into believing that this fallen world is actually in good shape.

It's been compromised, and the only hope of restoration is found in turning to God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died to pay the penalty of sin's curse, and will come again as the redeemer and restorer of God's creation.

The old hymn put it this way - "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through."  The promise of a good God is that this short life (70 years more or less) and its tough stretches are not the final chapter.  For those who humbly turn to this good God, there is the rock solid promise that an uncompromised and a good eternity awaits, in which righteousness dwells and peace reigns.

Our problem often is that we want this life to be better, and care little for eternity.  The solution is to want Jesus in our lives today more than anything, and set our hope "completely on the grace to be revealed to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ."  This life ought prepare us, and make us long for, the next.  It can when the heart is humbled before God, and full of faith in Christ.