What God Does

Had a sunday school class today where we talked about the verse in 1 John which says God is love. A question came up about pain and suffering and whether or not God caused things to happen that brought bad things upon people. Job was referred to, in that God tested Job by sending boild on his body,killing his cattle and his children. His wife told him to curse God and die but Job said *shall we not accept both good and bad things from God??* Job trusted God and His character even though this calamity had occurred to him. One of the key statements Job makes in the book , *yea though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him* This rings strikingly similar to Jesus ultimate decision in Gethsemane,to trust His Father even though He had to die.

This discussion raised a few thoughts in my mind. Does God choose to bring what we would call evil upon us for a purpose known to Him but which we must take on faith??? One of the guys in class asked how to tell kids in impoverished countries like India and Africa that God is love if He caused destruction and poverty to happen to them which they were stuck in for their entire life?? One answer is that some of the problem is man-made. However,man did not cause monsoons,earthquakes,famine and sickness to happen. God is love,yet alot of tragic events occur and have been happening throughout all of history. Wjat are we to make of it??? Clearly, these issues go beyond cliche, pat answers. Emotions can cloud clear thinking as well.

In thinking about Job and Jesus it has hit me again my battle i have had with fearing death. God instituted death after adam & eve disobeyed His command. Physical death has happened to all of us ever since and it will continue to do so. Jesus removed the sting of death, but it is still a painful thing, as it was for Him. None of us want to die, but we have to accept it. My struggle has been fearing it will happen at any moment and so i have always had this attempt to be on the alert for anything like that to happen and somehow,someway avoid it. This is totally irrational and I go through various stages before I reach a place where I feel a peace of Him being with me even if i were to die. This process has gone and on in my mind as long as i can recall. I wonder how it plays out in all your minds??? Death is like one of the last taboo subjects still around, its not anyones fave topic of conversation lol. I think I have gotten more freedom from my fear in the last few years because i have talked about it openly on here as well as to other people via email or Im or wherever. Does fear always involve feeling?? Can fear exist without feeling it??? If you dont want to be afraid and have no real reason to have fear but yet feelings of fear reappear despite your not wanting or believing you should have it how do you let it go??? i hope this makes some kind of sense and love to hear your thoughts as always!!!!