Where Was God?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

I've been listening to a song recently that I would like to share with you. I believe that one should not turn their back on challenges against their beliefs, but should in the name of all honesty and sincerity be able to face them and acknowledge them for what they are, even if there are no solid answers. I find this song personally challenging to my own beliefs, appreciate it for its honesty, and accept it as a real, living and breathing challenge many have about the existence of God that has little to do with academics.

It is basically about a man who finds God in a street corner, and God says the man can ask Him anything. This is an intriguing thought. What would I ask God, if I found Him on a street corner? The man basically begins to recall difficult times in his life where he could have used a friend and God was not around. The question he asks God is, "Where were you?"

Here's the video:

The Fray - You Found Me (official video)
Uploaded by thefray

Here are some of my thoughts:

I was talking with a friend yesterday about grief. This friend of mine lost his first child, and when going to counseling, he and his wife learned a lot about grief and the natural stages that occur. The way grief usually seems to work itself out is in stages of this order: Shock, Denial, Anger, Grief and Acceptance. What stood out to my friend is that there is not stage called "Understanding." Those who grieve always seek understanding, but it often never comes. The grief never really goes away, and one may never understand why something has happened, but one finally comes to a point of accepting that the thing HAS happened while knowing they may never understand WHY.

The other thought I have when hearing this song is that of the book of Job. This song challenges God with the question, "Where were you?" In the book of Job, God challenges Job with the same question. Job had many terrible things happen to him in his life, and did what most of us, if not all of us, would do--question why. And God replied like this:

(Job 38:2-13 New Living Translation)

2 "Who is this that questions my wisdom
with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.
4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
5 Who determined its dimensions
and stretched out the surveying line?
6 What supports its foundations,
and who laid its cornerstone
7 as the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
8 "Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
as it burst from the womb,
9 and as I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it in thick darkness?
10 For I locked it behind barred gates,
limiting its shores.
11 I said, 'This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!'
12 "Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
13 Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
to bring an end to the night's wickedness?




It goes on like this for some time, and then in Job 40:1-5:

1 Then the Lord said to Job,
2 "Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?
You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?"
3 Then Job replied to the Lord,
4 "I am nothing--how could I ever find the answers?
I will cover my mouth with my hand.
5 I have said too much already.
I have nothing more to say."


It interesting that God doesn't end up telling Job why the terrible things happened in his life. Job has to learn to accept them and move on.

posted by Matthew E Taft,

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1 Comments:

At Friday, February 13, 2009 12:44:00 AM,  Hilda said...

It would not be fair or right for me to speak of a pain I have not experienced so I will only speak of that which I have personally lived in, with, and through.

When I was not walking with God, when I insisted on waking up each day and doing what I thought was right for me and mine. Never once did I say a prayer to God; such as, 'help me this day to be wise and to do what is pleasing to You'. How could I (even though I did) expect God to be involved in my life when I said 'hands off'. Then something happens; be it of my own making or just because disease and death are a part of this world, do I have a right to say 'Where were You? You found me too late?'

We as His children know that God is always with us. Because we believe that the Word of God is a 'letter that He has written to us' and we know His Word to be Truth. So now as His child, when those hard days come, I know that He is with me and I turn to Him and say 'stay here with me and help me through this'. He does. I may need to go through it but I am not alone. I have His peace and He removes all the anxiety that I am willing to let go of. He says turn to Me and I will turn toward you. He says seek Me and you will find Me.

My point being and it may sound crude is: God is always there, He has not moved, you are that one that moves and it usually is away from Him, because that is a less responsible road. Man does not want to walk in the light. Not since Genesis when he hid from God after he sinned against God.

The song should truly say, Why did I put God away? Why did I wait so long to see that He has always been there and waiting for me, and seeking to help me but I would not let Him. Until it was almost (I hope almost) too late. He left me a Love Letter that I would not read. He showed me a path where we could both walk together, but I would not walk it. Where was I? What was I thinking?

Matt I said a prayer for wisdom before putting in this comment. And I pray for a strong walk for you, stay in His Word. I know the world is a hard place and more and more it is easier to just go with the flow of thinking, no absolutes, no condemnation, no law, every one does what is right in there own eyes. Sounds like the Book of Judges. But God is our Creator and as such He has a right over us, to tell us what is right and what is wrong, He has a right to judge us and give us His laws that we may live in peace with our fellow man. I create jewelry and I don't expect any of it to ever speak up and say that it does not like what I did with it. No way. But we do it with God all the time. Enough.

 

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