"Why Doesn't God Fix All This?"

     We are now several months into a "new normal" centered around the existence of Covid-19, and several weeks into civil unrest as our nation struggles with how to reinvent law and order in a civilized society. At this point in time, there are new threats of a second phase of the pandemic, and our cities and streets look anything but civilized. Voices are raised in dispute and conflicting ideologies and philosophies. It's clear that change needs to happen; we can no longer turn a blind eye to injustice -- there are too many instances of bad apples spoiling the entire crop, and reform is necessary. But at the same time, violence and lawlessness will not achieve reconciliation nor reformation. It never does. So, the pressure [and panic] is beginning to build in the souls and spirits of Christians across the land, and Mark and I are hearing a lament starting to rise from the ranks ... Why doesn't God just come down and fix this? We've been praying 2 Chronicles 7:14 and He's been silent!

     This is where we always have to have the conversation about the difference between God is in control and God is in control of everything. And this is where the Church needs to do a better job of defining what God's Sovereignty really looks like. So, it's time for me to brush off a post I wrote in September 2016, and update it for the year 2020.
     At first, you may think those two statements express the same idea, but the truth about this theological doctrine is, in reality, more complex. But, let's start with this idea ... I think we can agree that, as followers of Christ, we believe that God is Sovereign and Supreme in all aspects of the Universe that He created.  But what exactly does that mean? It is my understanding that God's Sovereignty means He has the ability to exercise His will in unlimited power and ways. But does that mean He always acts or carries out His will? 

     It is also my opinion that God’s Supremacy is unrestricted, but I also believe that the Sovereignty of God means He can set parameters as He desires. In other words, ultimately God can be in complete control of all things [if He so chooses], though He may choose to let certain events happen according to limits He has established -- again, a matter of His Sovereignty.  So, I believe that God is totally independent and does as He pleases, without having to answer to us.  In fact, Psalm 115:3 says, "Our God is in the heavens. He does whatever He pleases". (As one of my favorite theologians and deliverance ministers, Dr. Charles Kraft, says, "God doesn't [have to] answer Why questions from us").  Then, it is apparent that the next question is, "What might some of those limits be that He has established for Himself?"

     First of all, here is a very important aspect of God's Nature that we need to grasp -- God cannot do anything that goes against His own character.  He can't lie; He can't be tempted by evil; He keeps every promise He makes; He can't contradict Himself; and He won't revoke what He has given or promised us... and that includes our free will -- [In other words, He doesn't pick and choose when He will offer free will. It is an absolute for everyone!] That speaks to His character trait of Immutability -- He does not change.  So that inherently means that if He has given us free will, He will not take it back, nor infringe upon it... no matter how badly He wants to change our actions or the decisions we make. He will remain Sovereign, as He extends free will to us.

     The Bible is full of Scripture and examples of man using his free will to go against the will of God... Adam and Eve chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; the nation of Israel (God's favored people) chose to rebel and follow after false gods. King Ahab chose to abandon his worship of YHWH to follow after his wife, Queen Jezebel, and bow down to her pagan gods, Ba'al and Asherah, purging Israel of the prophets sent by God. Do you think any of these outcomes is what God desired, or what best served His purpose? Could God, in His Sovereignty, have made Eve reject the serpent's temptation? Or closed the hearts and minds of the Israelites to the snare of the foreign gods? Of course, He could have! But He, in His Sovereignty, chose NOT to! And don't ask WHY?!? Remember, He doesn't owe us an explanation. But if we study His character and His Word long enough we can get some clues.

     So, fast forward to this nation and its history ... Do you think God wanted to see this nation adopt the evil practice of slavery, or exhibit racism towards our fellow man? Do you think He likes seeing our prisons filling up, poor policing practices that result in ever more deaths, increasing disrespect for the "good guys" in law enforcement, or the chaos and anarchy that offer no real solutions? Could He step in and "fix it", as so many of my fellow Christians are imploring Him to do? Yes, but that would violate one of the most precious gifts He has given us... our free will to choose good over evil.

     And if He makes our choices for us, then we are nothing more than robots who have made no choice of our own to please God -- He has made every choice for us, and how does that either please or glorify Him, or represent His Magnificence? Ephesians 1:5-6 explains it better than I can: He destined us to be adopted as His children through the covenant Jesus the Anointed inaugurated in His sacrificial life. This was His pleasure and His will for us. Ultimately God is the one worthy of praise [glory] for showing us His grace; He is merciful and marvelous, freely giving us these gifts in His Beloved.

     By allowing us to make that choice for ourselves, we find worth in our own life, as well as magnifying His. You see, God always acts in the freedom of His own Sovereignty, and He wants us to act righteously in the freedom He has given us. God doesn't want to be in control of everything!  He wants a partner, not a puppet!  He made us in His image and He wants us to act like it!  He sent His Son into this evil world, and transferred His power to Jesus to establish God's Kingdom on earth. Then Jesus transferred His power to us, and here we are 2,000 years later, with scarcely an idea that we possess that power, let alone know how to use it.  It is not God's will that our nation be in the shape it is in, nor that we suffer in our lives from all the slings and arrows of the Enemy -- who, make no mistake, is roaming our land like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

     And I want to make something clear ... God is not a victim of the circumstances we find ourselves in. No, we've done a pretty good job of making ourselves the victims of our own pride, prejudices, and power. He will not be mocked or blamed. He will never be coerced into doing something out of our anger or attempts to find fault with Him. And believe me, there are plenty of people angry at Him for what they see on their nightly news, and are crying out for Him to FIX THIS!

     But I would point you to two Scriptures that should have everyone looking in the mirror ... Proverbs 22:8 says, Those who sow injustice reap disaster, and their methods of oppression will fail. And Job 4:8 says, As I have seen, those who plow wickedness, and those who sow trouble and harm [will] harvest it. I think that just about sums up both sides of the battle lines that have been drawn.

     As Christians, we must realize that God created this world for His good pleasure in seeing His creation emulate Him. And it pleases Him when we choose justice and righteousness. But there was a wrong choice made in the Garden that introduced Evil into our world, and we now find ourselves battling an emboldened foe who is capitalizing on how mankind has chosen to use his free will. Do not blame God and lay at His feet what the Enemy has sown into hearts. Mankind has chosen its own destiny! We have been given the choice whether to obey God, or not. We have been allowed to decide if we will love our fellow man, or choose to continue to hate.

     Right now, on the streets of America, and across the globe, we are reaping the consequences of 2000 years of choices made by man's free will. Not everyone is guilty of the bad choices made, but we must come to terms with the truth that we have a spiritual Enemy who is instigating and stirring up violent sentiments and courses of action against the people of God, because He knows his time is short. The idea of fairness or Christian righteousness does not deter him; he is not afraid of us. He knows the Scriptures that say he will align with, and dominate and control, those who are in rebellion to God. So, his goal is to grow the number of the rebellious for his kingdom of darkness.

     But we speak to the devil from Genesis 50:20, saying, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome, that many people would be kept alive [as they are this day]." Yes, the devil is deceiving those attempting to achieve chaos at all costs. Yes, God could come down here and fix it; snap His fingers and hearts would automatically be changed. But He has limited Himself in order to allow people to examine their own hearts and choose Him over the devil.

     Man was created to glorify God by intentionally choosing Him. Our goal in this time of wickedness and chaos is to take what the devil is sowing in hearts and counter it with the loving heart of Christ. It's a race to the finish line -- the Lord desires to keep names out of the Book of the Dead, and add names to the Book of Life before the Day of Reckoning. But it all centers around the choices that man makes -- whether to use that precious gift of free will to glorify the One who created us -- or to exalt ourselves and our own desires. Why doesn't God fix all this? Because the decision is ours whether to "let our light shine before men in such a way that they may see our good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify our Father who is in heaven" -- or not.

Joshua 24:15    If it is unacceptable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”