Life is hard. I thought You would make it easy. Relationships are so painful and complex, why can’t You make things simple? I am a good person! Why are the broken fragments of my life scattered in the wake of the evil
I wrote this reflection after hearing personal stories from friends that tore my
actions of others? Why is there so much hate and so little love? Where are You, God? I look at the powerful
heart to pieces. Life can
ocean and, with searing pain and a broken heart, I can see the truths of human life in it. The ocean crushes
seem so unfair and it is a
the surf with inevitable and relentless fury and, with watery tempest, proclaims the storm at sea to the helpless land.
are You,
constant struggle to make sense of the suffering and pain that inevitably comes.
Likewise, storms in our lives wreak destruction, the innocent
I heard that a young girl
suffer, and we become desensitized to the pain, resuming
had been sexually abused
life unmoved. SEE the child on the street, with grimy dirt
by her father and was
covering what should be an angelic face, clothes hanging tattered and torn on her filthy body. SEE her hand held out
so broken that she was contemplating taking her own life. I talked to a
in desperation, crying for some money to provide for her
friend whose ex-wife was
many needs. SEE her hollow eyes, devoid of love, absent of
feeding malicious lies
the sparkle of joy that should be evident in a child her age. SEE her scowl as she is rendered invisible by thousands of
about him to his children. There are so few answers to the questions that arise
saviors who could help, but cannot SEE because it is easier for them to pretend that hurting, starving, abused,
from these experiences.
and helpless children do not exist. Where are You, God? Are You blind, too? Are You unable to heal and calm
Even so, there is comfort
the storms of life? Do You SEE the broken and weary people without love and, therefore, without hope? The
in our Lord who suffered
prostitute with a lonely heart and a broken self-image needs to know that at least You love her — even when no one else does! The honest family torn by the deceit and hate of an unwarranted enemy needs to know that
as we have. Why did He weep at the death of Lazarus? Didn’t he know
You are an administer of justice! They need to know You, God! Where are You, God? You are here, God! There
that Lazarus would live to
is not a storm at sea, meant to wreak havoc and chaos on unsuspecting lives, that does not receive into its
the glory of God? He did.
hard, watery assault, a soft and compassionate tear from the Father who promises an end to the pain before
I believe he wept at the
it breaks us. You are here, God! The tempest of this fallen world pushes in like the tide, intending to sweep us
recognition of the pain that death had caused
away, but the Father, in His mercy, stops the pain with love, and the inevitable happens — the tide reverses
in the lives of those yet
and flees the power of Almighty God. The storm will return, you can count on that. It
living. He had intended
is like clockwork, but each time we will learn more and more that safety is found
so much more for them.
in the hand of the Father and we will rejoice even in the midst of the storm. I stand and my eyes sweep over the expanse of the
They were created in the image of God and were made for eternity. Yes,
sea. Beauty, intermingled with power. The elation of the heart at this
Jesus wept, because their
wonder is tempered with an awe-inspiring fear. God also is a paradox.
loss was great. But, he
Justice will meet us all because we are responsible for the
is the Redeemer and he
sin and pain in this world. We will all be held accountable
gives hope in every trial because he suffered and
for laughing at the homeless and prostitutes, pretending that
died to restore life to us.
the poor do not exist, and giving in to our selfishness; seeking
May we stand out in this
to be loved rather than loving, and to be served rather than
world, not because we
serving. BUT, those of us who face the storm that we have created and, in humble fear, cry out “Where are You, God?” will find that God also loves mercy. He longs to
never suffer, but because in the midst of suffering our eyes remain fixed on
cry back, in the midst of the storm, “I am here, child” with His tender healing, love, forgiveness, and hope. Go
the “author and perfecter
to the sea. Observe the sublime beauty. Question God. Receive His answer. “Surely I am with you always, to
of our faith.”
the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 20) “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31: 6)
—— Dan Palmer Associate Pastor dpalmer@firstcov.org