“Why do bad things happen? Where was God in my darkest suffering? How does a loving God permit evil in this world? Why didn’t He do something to stop my pain?”
These questions, and others like them, swirl around many folks’ minds. They object to faith in God because they don’t feel as if they’ve received satisfactory answers to these questions. So instead, they resign themselves to the gnawing coldness of agnosticism. But the Answer to such questions is here, on this holy supper-table.
God holds up to our view a reminder of the worst thing that ever happened. God the Son took upon Himself all the grief, all the sorrow, all the pain, all the penalty, all the guilt, all the shame, and all the fear. Here is the broken body of the only man who never perpetuated the evil of Adam’s rebellion. Here is the guiltless blood of the true Victim, who died for us, His murderers.
In trying to engage in the apologetics of the problem of evil, Christians oftentimes contort God into a shape that will appease the inquirer. But we don’t absolve God by trying to explain that He was standing aloof in our moments of suffering. Nor is it truthful or helpful to say that God couldn’t have foreseen the evil things which have afflicted you. We must not make God into either a blundering stooge, or an indifferent observer.
Your sorest trial, your worst pain, your darkest chapter of sorrow were by God’s appointment. He’s telling this world a story, and the worst chapter of it is also its best. This bread & wine retell that story. Your sin is forgiven. Your suffering isn’t without purpose. Your God supplants the dark despair of sin’s misery, with the glorious hope of an empty tomb & an eternal, resurrection body.
So come in faith and welcome to Jesus Christ…
