Why? (Part 2

WHY? (Part 2)?

In November 2013 there was a Typhoon by name of Haiyan that hit the Philippines.?In the Philippines it was known as Super Typhoon Yolanda, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded.?On making landfall, it devastated portions of Southeast Asia, killing at least 6 300 people in the Philippines alone.??

According to Wikipedia, in January 2014, bodies were still being found.?The highest winds recorded at 230 km/h was sustained for 10 minutes.?This typhoon caused damage of US$ 2.98 billion. ?Reading this sad yet true story, I hear devastation, pain, severe loss and probably many questions as to WHY??We might never know the reason, but I know that God knows why.?

Many times, we never get reasons for WHY things happen in our lives.?When we read of the story of Job in the Bible, he did not get an answer to why he had to go through “hell” and loose everything but his life.?Job must have thought that he was punished for his children’s mistakes.?However, God is just, and each person will give account for his/her own decisions and actions in life.?In Job’s case it was about satan wanting to prove that God and Job were wrong.??

However, God knew, and Job knew and hence, satan who thought he was right, was the one who had it wrong.?Was it easy for Job to go through what he did??Off course not!?I don’t even want to think how it must have felt, loosing everything that you love.?I also know that it must not have been easy for God either, having to see His faithful servant go through so much loss and pain.??

But here is the thing: Job did not give up!?He continued to serve God, to love Him and trust Him.?How great the faith of Job who stood firm till the end, living out the Word of God in Isaiah 7:9, which says that if we do not stand firm in our faith, we will not stand at all.?

Sometimes when we ask God WHY we need to go through things, He answers and other times, He is silent.?The reality is that many things happen because of our own bad decisions and actions.?We read about this throughout the Bible, how God’s people moved away from Him and His decrees, only to find themselves in danger, lack and loss.?Then we read that as soon as a leader who chose to follow God, stood up in faith and followed God’s Word and instructions, a nation followed.??

This resulted in repentance and when the shift took place, God’s people once again experienced His favour and abundance of blessings.?As I read these experiences repeating themselves in the Bible, I think to myself, WHY??Why is this repeatedly recorded in the Bible??I realised that it is human nature to fall, doubt and make mistakes.?God knows these things and hence, He repeats history, so that we can learn from the past in hope that we will choose a better and brighter future by following Him and keeping our faith in Him.?

We often ask ourselves as adults, why we need to repeat ourselves when we speak with our kids. ?We want to say things only once and hope it sinks in.?However, think about it; is this not exactly what God our Father must be thinking about us, His children??I mean, we are His kids, and He tells us, shows us and guides us over and over not to make the same mistakes and yet we do. ??

Why do we read His Word and yet we don’t apply His instructions in our lives??Does it not every time, end up in us finding ourselves in trouble, lack and difficulties??Reading from Jeremiah 5:1 - 9, we see an example of why people find themselves in trouble:?

““Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.” Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. ?

They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent. I thought, “These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God. So, I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely, they know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God.” But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds. Therefore, a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many. ?

“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes. They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife. Should I not punish them for this?” declares the Lord. “Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”?

When I read this passage, it hits hard.?Is this not the story of our lives??Not only is this what happens in the world, our countries and workplaces, but it is what is happening in our everyday lives.?We know what we must do to live a happy and prosperous life and yet we make wrong decisions, knowing very well that there will be consequences.?

My call today, is that we turn back to God and His Word.?Let us allow Him to guide us, instruct us and then eat the fruit of His blessings.?Let us not delay in calling on Him.?He says in Jeremiah 29:12 – 14 and Jeremiah 33:3 that when we call on Him with all our hearts, He will be found by us and tell us things that we did not know.?

Love in Christ

Princess K