In the world of theology and theologians is a long standing debate whether God cares about the suffering going on in this world or not. Scripture passages refer to God’s sorrow over His creation, His anger and regret for creating, and His weeping over cities that are not following Him. This seems proof that God suffers on account of His creation suffering.
Genesis 6:5-6
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
Others challenge that an all-knowing God is not caught off-guard by human suffering. They consider the language in Scripture to use human terminology or anthropomorphism's to help us understand that God is aware of the plight of humankind. However, emotions do not control God and cause Him to change His mind or course of action based on emotion.
Another challenge they try to answer is the kind of world God created. A great and perfect God could have made any world He desired. God choose to make a world that has infants dying of hunger, children robbed of innocence by wicked people, and corruption that runs from the lowest to the highest on the social-economic ladder. Why?
I am not a theologian and it is likely that you are not either. Our concerns are less philosophical and more practical. I believe that God is concerned about the well-being of His creation. God does grieve over our disobedience and rejection of Him. God’s compassion and emotion about us does not weaken His greatness, rather, it increases it.
God joins with a parent’s loss over a child who is taken decades too early by disease or starvation. God is angered by the suffering caused by corrupt actions that steal from the poor to increase their riches. God’s emotions do not cause Him to make poor decisions or irrational actions. The care God has for His creation increases His desire for a day that brings judgment on the wicked and justice to the oppressed. Even the non-human part of creation longs and groans for this day to arrive.
Until that day arrives, we are to partner with God in living a higher standard and being an advocate for those who are not receiving justice. Consider what you can do for justice in your place of influence today in this divine partnership.
Psalms 82:3-4
Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Isaiah 1:16-17
Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
Genesis 6:5-6
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
Others challenge that an all-knowing God is not caught off-guard by human suffering. They consider the language in Scripture to use human terminology or anthropomorphism's to help us understand that God is aware of the plight of humankind. However, emotions do not control God and cause Him to change His mind or course of action based on emotion.
Another challenge they try to answer is the kind of world God created. A great and perfect God could have made any world He desired. God choose to make a world that has infants dying of hunger, children robbed of innocence by wicked people, and corruption that runs from the lowest to the highest on the social-economic ladder. Why?
I am not a theologian and it is likely that you are not either. Our concerns are less philosophical and more practical. I believe that God is concerned about the well-being of His creation. God does grieve over our disobedience and rejection of Him. God’s compassion and emotion about us does not weaken His greatness, rather, it increases it.
God joins with a parent’s loss over a child who is taken decades too early by disease or starvation. God is angered by the suffering caused by corrupt actions that steal from the poor to increase their riches. God’s emotions do not cause Him to make poor decisions or irrational actions. The care God has for His creation increases His desire for a day that brings judgment on the wicked and justice to the oppressed. Even the non-human part of creation longs and groans for this day to arrive.
Until that day arrives, we are to partner with God in living a higher standard and being an advocate for those who are not receiving justice. Consider what you can do for justice in your place of influence today in this divine partnership.
Psalms 82:3-4
Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Isaiah 1:16-17
Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
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