Moments for the Heart

This is a rather important question. A question that deserves an answer. Especially in today’s age where there is so much conflict in our world; so much suffering and needless debate. We ask God why he allows this to continue. We don’t understand why he doesn’t wave his almighty hand and either cause it all to end or swoop us all up to Heaven, where it is alleged to be a peaceful place. God is supposed to be merciful and all-loving, right? I mean, if he does exist, then how does this all-powerful supreme being, just sit there on his throne and let this world spin out of control? Some loving g-o-d you have there…

But I submit one thing to you. Consider this, placing an unbeliever’s perspective on it. If God does exist, and they are watching all of this play out: If you do not believe and God does exist, wouldn’t you want the opportunity to turn to God before it became too late? What about someone you love? What about someone you cared about who was difficult to convince God was real? You would want time to convince, wouldn’t you? The Bible teaches us in 2 Peter 3:9 that God is patiently waiting so everyone has an opportunity to repent. repentance

But that is cruel, Jeff! You may follow up with. But think about it. If we believe in God, then this world is not our ultimate home; Heaven is. This world is temporary. Paul says in Philippians the craziest statement. To live is Christ; to die is gain. He basically said he didn’t care if he died for God. But when a Christian dies, he is no longer in this world of craziness and suffering. He is united with most of all God, but with his loved ones who preceded them in death and no longer under the bonds of what caused their death, be it the illness that shackled them or the pain from the injuries they suffered. In an instant. POOF. Close the eyes, here on earth one second, open the eyes in Heaven the next. Now, wouldn’t you suffer a bit more if you knew that you could help a loved one reach safety by waiting just a bit longer?

But then why doesn’t God just show himself and save everyone? I wish that were the case. I wish He would. But that would go against free will. Not everyone wants to be saved. I am confident that if God were to show himself, there would still be unbelievers. Jesus showed himself, and people still asked him for proof. But that is where faith comes into play. We can’t do it alone. Of course, we are part of a sin-filled world. Adam and Eve saw to that. We have no control over that, but we do have the choice over our own life and the sin we allow into it. And this is where God’s grace comes into play.

God’s grace is the allowance of time to the world to give those here who have not turned to Him the time to turn to Him before time is up. Because there will be a time when the clock reaches zero and the trumpet that is mentioned in the book of Revelations sounds, and those who have accepted Jesus will either vanish or be swept away in a cloud or whatever, and those who are here will face whatever they will be doomed to face.

Oooohh, Jeff. Ya, see, there you go, God is sending people to hell. God is a mean and terrible person. I am again, sorry you feel that way. But through our reading, you can see that people have a decision to make. Suppose there was a train going to Boston, and you had a schedule with departure times. Would you think a person had the right to yell at the conductor for not getting to Boston when they had every chance to get on the train but chose to ignore the train whistle every time it blew with an opportunity to board the train?

God is waiting, blowing the whistle of the gospel message, until the entire world has an opportunity to hear it. That message is the truth about Jesus dying on the cross for their sins. All you need to do is accept it. He is waiting even now. Could he be waiting for you?

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