Why worship God when things aren't going so well? Isn't God in control of things down here? If he isn't good enough to keep rotten things happening to me, why should I continue to worship him?
These are rough questions. Questions I have asked as well. A few years ago, my beautiful wife and I had our second child. We felt led to return closer to our extended family so our children might better know their family. As we began the process of moving, my grandmother's health quickly deteriorated. She was moved to a nursing home and was in poor condition. Meanwhile, my family and I spent three months on the road waiting for and trusting on the Lord to provide a new position for me. He provided. We ended up only one and half hours away from where my family lived. We could spend time with family and my ailing grandmother. Weeks later my grandmother passed away. Not what I planned. God gives. God takes away.
God does provide. Even from the very beginning he has been known as Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord Provides (Genesis 22:14). There was once a man named Job. At the time he lived he was the greatest of men. He had a wife and many children, owned thousands of livestock, had the respect of the people, and lived well before God. Then he lost it all. Yet in the midst of his sorrows he "fell to the ground in worship and said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job 1:20-21) God gives. God takes away. Job still worshiped. Why?
Job still remained faithful to God. He understood that sin was in the world. He understood that we all live with the consequences of all mistakes, not only our own, but with that of others. Yes, God is in control of things down here. But God gave mankind free will to choose. Bad things can happen to good people. But remember these two things: First, there is no one down here who is truly good (Romans 3:10). We all make mistakes. And these mistakes do affect others. Second, God will use all things in our lives for good, even the bad (Romans 8:28). It's all part of his big plan. We can only see what is right in front of us. He sees through eternity.
Job worshiped God when times were bad, because he knew God was still God. God had not changed. He knew that God still had his best in mind. So Job worshiped. God gives. God takes away. May the name of the Lord be praised.
As I drove to the hospital the night my grandmother died, I questioned God. Sure. But I knew God was still God. He still had my best in mind. So I worshiped him on that drive. God gives. God takes away. May the name of the Lord be praised.
worship Him 24/7...
Scott
These are rough questions. Questions I have asked as well. A few years ago, my beautiful wife and I had our second child. We felt led to return closer to our extended family so our children might better know their family. As we began the process of moving, my grandmother's health quickly deteriorated. She was moved to a nursing home and was in poor condition. Meanwhile, my family and I spent three months on the road waiting for and trusting on the Lord to provide a new position for me. He provided. We ended up only one and half hours away from where my family lived. We could spend time with family and my ailing grandmother. Weeks later my grandmother passed away. Not what I planned. God gives. God takes away.
God does provide. Even from the very beginning he has been known as Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord Provides (Genesis 22:14). There was once a man named Job. At the time he lived he was the greatest of men. He had a wife and many children, owned thousands of livestock, had the respect of the people, and lived well before God. Then he lost it all. Yet in the midst of his sorrows he "fell to the ground in worship and said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job 1:20-21) God gives. God takes away. Job still worshiped. Why?
Job still remained faithful to God. He understood that sin was in the world. He understood that we all live with the consequences of all mistakes, not only our own, but with that of others. Yes, God is in control of things down here. But God gave mankind free will to choose. Bad things can happen to good people. But remember these two things: First, there is no one down here who is truly good (Romans 3:10). We all make mistakes. And these mistakes do affect others. Second, God will use all things in our lives for good, even the bad (Romans 8:28). It's all part of his big plan. We can only see what is right in front of us. He sees through eternity.
Job worshiped God when times were bad, because he knew God was still God. God had not changed. He knew that God still had his best in mind. So Job worshiped. God gives. God takes away. May the name of the Lord be praised.
As I drove to the hospital the night my grandmother died, I questioned God. Sure. But I knew God was still God. He still had my best in mind. So I worshiped him on that drive. God gives. God takes away. May the name of the Lord be praised.
worship Him 24/7...
Scott