Is God Good?

Psalm 27:5

For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

...............

Will God protect us when we pray for shelter?

Will God heal my child if she becomes threatened by some terminal illness?

If I'm not guaranteed protection in this life, then why pray for it in the first place?

These questions have been on my mind recently. Lately I've seen several people I care about deeply going through painful trials. Dear friends have lost loved ones. In one case there is the added grief and questions associated with losing someone who was most likely not a believer. I have also been a shoulder to another friend who is suffering great physical pain and whose wife was just diagnosed with cancer. In tears, he asked me point-blank, "Why is God letting this happen?"

Why? For what good purpose do we endure such unbearable pain in this life? How can God be called "good" in any real sense when he stands by and let's us suffer?

These questions are often heartfelt and genuine expressions of our real human experience. But they also reveal certain assumptions about how we view the world. When I ask "why?" am I motivated by a desire to know God more deeply? Or, am I looking for a reason to doubt his goodness? Am I perhaps revealing an assumption that I know better than God in regards to what is good for me? Am I revealing a basic assumption about what I think I deserve in this life? Am I forgetting my place in this cosmos?

Each person must answer these questions for themselves. But there are some themes in Scripture that help us see the bigger picture and how God's definition of "good" may be slightly different than our own.

1. There are levels or degrees of "good."

If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. (Philippians 1:22-26)

In this passage, Paul strangely welcomes death, which we normally (and rightly) think of as something sad and unfortunate. Even here, Paul accepts that it is good and vital that he remain and minister longer in this life. But for the Christian, in another sense, it is also "good" to die and be finally and perfectly reunited with our Maker-Redeemer. There are levels of good, and at times they may compete or contradict each other. The implication for us: God may have a "good" purpose in our suffering that is yet unknown, and may in fact remain unknown until we see his face in Heaven.

2. An event may be both "good" and "evil."

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will... (Ephesians 1:11)

If all things work according God's purpose, then it is tempting to blame God for evil and suffering. However, the Bible clearly does not allow us to blame him for evil (Deut. 32:4, Hab. 1:13, James 1:13). So, in order to understand how God's sovereignty and goodness co-exist, theologians speak of "compatibilism," which means that God can be sovereign over events that are both good and evil, often at the same time, but in different ways - i.e. Joseph's suffering which ultimately resulted in the good deliverance of Egypt and Israel from a horrible famine; and of course, Jesus' heinous execution which resulted in eternal salvation for those who trust in him (Gen. 50:20, Acts 2:23). This topic could be drawn out to fill many books, but for our purpose here, I mention it as a biblical position that allows many apparently evil events the possibility of some corresponding "good" value, even if that goodness is mysterious and hidden in the providence of almighty God.

3. "Good" is defined as what makes us more like Jesus.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28, 29)

Verse 28 is an amazing promise that has undergirded many believers in the midst of painful trials. But if we miss verse 29, then we may find ourselves disappointed by the type of "good" that God works into our lives through pain and suffering. Verse 29 clarifies that this "good" is really defined as becoming more like Jesus - being conformed to the image of Christ. If we lose sight of the blessedness of this conforming purpose, our disappointment in God will lead us to doubt his goodness, which is a tragic misunderstanding indeed.

4. "Good" may ultimately be delayed.

Hebrews 11 tells us about scores of God's people who lived by faith and are honored for their trust in God's promises. However, verse 39 plainly tells us that these men did not see the promises fulfilled in their own lifetimes. This is the reality of delayed "good:"

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39, 40)

So why pray for help if God is mainly after our conformity to Christ and may delay our deliverance until the next life? As I've thought through this, I come back again and again to the refrains of the Psalms, which so often lament life's trials and cry out for God's intervention and deliverance. Psalm 27 is no exception. But if "good" is defined by conformity to Christ, and is often delayed, how can we pray and expect the protection and healing we so desperately crave? My answer is to keep on praying desperately, knowing that God is truly good, and that he does in fact promise ultimate protection for his beloved children, even if that protection is finally delayed all the way to the next life in Heaven. Even if my only hope in this fallen world is of a very distant glimpse of eternal life, I will keep my eyes fixed on that glimpse and endure to the end, knowing that his goodness will be proved in time and will be sweeter than any version of "good" I could have ever imagined. If that means a life filled with crosses, at least I know that at the end of this life there will also be an empty tomb and an eternal resurrection. So, this will be my prayer, my meditation, and my hope:

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:13, 14 ESV)

Resurrection and Response

Matthew 28:17

And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

...............

There is little doubt about the historical existence of Jesus. In fact, there is ample evidence outside the Bible for many of the details of his life, his ministry, and the circumstances of his death. But, it is the historicity of the resurrection that continues to be hotly debated among people great and small. This chapter offers some insight into the very beginning of this debate and what is really going on in the hearts of men who respond to the news of Christ's resurrection, whether in faith or in doubt. Let us consider three categories of response outlined in this chapter.

1. Willful Denial. The guards at the tomb were eyewitnesses to the angelic episode in which the stone of Jesus' tomb was rolled away and his absence was revealed. We know that their experience of the angel was taken seriously: "And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men" (28:4). While their initial response might have led to potential faith, we find out quickly that personal interest is persuasive enough to choke out the truth and smother the seeds of faith. The guards tell the chief priests what they saw, perhaps hoping to get some spiritual guidance on the matter. Instead, they got a bribe and were directed to lie about what happened. This, they were told, would satisfy the governor and "keep you out of trouble." As counter-intuitive as it may seem, the eyewitness evidence of an angelic vision and an empty tomb was not enough to overcome basic human cravings for money and security. If this was true of these men, how much more for men today who are so far removed from the events?

2. Doubt. We might expect such willful denial from pagan Roman guards who knew very little about Jesus, his promises, and his love. But, what about the doubts of the disciples who were seeing the resurrected Jesus, flesh and blood, right in front of them? Verse 17 reveals that not all of the disciples were convinced that Jesus had risen, that Jesus was truly who he claimed to be, even though he was right there for them to see and touch. Again, we must scratch our heads and question the conventional wisdom that says, "If I could see him risen from the dead, then I would believe." This is obviously not the case, for those who were closest to Jesus did not immediately believe, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. If these men were not convinced, how can any of us in the 21st Century believe in the resurrection with any certainty?

3. Faith. Fortunately for us, Denial and Doubt are not the only responses recorded here. Chapter 28 also gives us a glimpse of those who saw Christ risen from the dead firsthand and were led by the evidence to believe that he was God himself! They worshiped him, an action that was reserved by devout Jews for Yahweh alone. This was a radical response indeed, to believe that this Jewish carpenter was actually God in the flesh. What made them respond differently than the guards or the doubters? Why didn't they succumb to their personal interests or a prideful reliance on human reason? The chapter does not give an explicit answer, but we can conclude that faith is NOT a given based upon evidence alone. There must be a miraculous act of God in our lives to draw us to faith in Christ. The seeds of faith must not be choked out by the cares of this world.

Perhaps, most importantly, there must be a choice to overcome personal fear in the face of life-changing evidence. Isn't this what the angel and the risen Lord repeatedly said to the many witnesses? "Do not be afraid!" (Verses 5 and 10). There must be courage to overcome "reasonable" doubt and trust that God has come in the flesh, has overcome death, and he has made a personal offer of relationship with each one of us. We must be struck by the beauty of this good news, for it meets our deepest needs for love, forgiveness, and reconciliation with the One who made us and knows us inside and out. It is only this kind of courage and commitment that can motivate us to fulfill the commission that Jesus ultimately leaves to his disciples. Let us not be afraid; let us believe that he is now with us; and let us faithfully carry out the mission he entrusted to us:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Human Depravity

Psalm 14:1

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
there is none who does good.

...............

We have seen this description of the wicked in Psalm 10 already, that they say in their hearts, "There is no God." We noted that atheism is really a form of pride, a way of exalted oneself over the inconvenient reality of God's rightful place in the universe. In this Psalm, we see the phrase used as the root issue behind all of human depravity: There are none who can genuinely be called good because, as a whole, mankind has turned away from God and called down his just wrath.

This Psalm is really from God's perspective. In verse 2, we hear that God "looks down from heaven" in order to see if there are "any who understand, who seek after God." This would not have been a controversial concept for early Jewish believers. They understood very well that the Gentiles were living under God's displeasure. We can almost see them nodding their heads in agreement when the first Roman Christians read the apostle Paul's letter to them:

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (Rom. 1:18).

However, it is the way that Paul references this Psalm in Romans 3 that presents the Jews with quite a theological curve-ball. They might have expected Paul to use this description of man's depravity as a kind of final verdict upon the rebellious Gentile "dogs," as they were popularly known. Instead, Paul takes Psalm 14 and throws it up as a description of the Jews and Gentiles alike:

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written, "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God." (Rom. 3:9-11)

As we've noted elsewhere, the first step in interpreting the Old Testament is to see how it is directly or indirectly referenced in the New Testament. Psalm 14 may have been used by the Jews to condemn their unrighteous enemies, but the perspective of God, as further illuminated by the New Testament, is that this judgment refers to all people, regardless of their race or religion.

Fortunately, that condemnation is not the end of the story. Just as Paul finishes his universal condemnation of all people as completely unrighteous and without hope in the world, he throws yet another theological curve-ball:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it---the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. (Rom. 3:21)

Romans 1 told us that God's wrath was being reveal against unrighteousness; Romans 3 now tells us that God's righteousness has now been revealed that is apart from the law -- a rightness with God that is given to us as a gift, through faith in the work of Jesus Christ upon the cross, where he took our sin upon Himself, and then rose from the dead to secure new life for us and an eternal reconciliation with God. Death has been overcome; our depravity will be once for all eliminated; and our hope has been restored, not in ourselves, but in the God who comes to us and makes things right. Amen.

Poetry in Emotion

Psalm 13:1-2

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

...............

When we are under incredible burdens or in the depths of despair concerning some overwhelming challenge, the reasonable thing to ask God is Why? For what, O LORD? For what purpose is all of this happening to me? But, the psalmist doesn't ask why, precisely because the person who is in despair has little reasoning faculties left to call upon in conversation with God. The pain and oppression have worn away at reason and left nothing but a raw core of emotion. How long? When will this end? How long will you hide your face?!

Consider the sliver of hope that comes at the end of Psalm 13, train your mind to never let go of that hope, even in the midst of the most overwhelming trial, and then try to put into words the prayer of your heart, perhaps in words of desperation.

Try being honest with God; he can handle it.

Rather than defeat my own interpretation by offering a "reasonable" summary of this psalm, I'd rather quote a hymn and encourage you to make it your own prayer. May we continue to fight to remember how faithful He is, even when it appears that He has vanished.

Image by SPH via Flickr

God Moves in a Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Faith and Healing

Matthew 17:17

And Jesus answered, "O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me."

...............

This is a rather surprising response to a request for healing. We've seen Jesus granting requests for healing all throughout the book of Matthew. Why respond this way now? What makes this particular situation different? I'll offer an answer:

Unbelief in Jesus is more disturbing and heart-breaking than any other malady or misfortune.

What makes Jesus retort in such an apparently harsh way is the faithlessness of the people around him. Contrast this healing story with the healing of the centurion's servant (Matt. 8:5). Both involved the request of healing from one person on behalf of another. Both men, the centurion and the father, described the nature and intensity of the suffering being experienced, as if to add urgency and weight to their request. But, that's where the similarities cease. The centurion tells Jesus that He does not need to be physically present, that He does not need to come home with him, but only to say the word and the servant will be healed. This officer in the Roman army was displaying faith, and Jesus commends him for it, expressing that his faith was amazingly greater than any yet found in Israel!

What a stark contrast to the response given to the father of the demon-possessed epileptic boy. "O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?" The father did not display faith, whether in trusting Jesus Himself to heal the boy somehow, or by trusting that God's will would be done no matter the outcome. Rather, he seemed to be putting his trust in Jesus' disciples and then found himself disappointed, bringing his disappointment to Jesus in the form of this request for healing. The centurion believed that this man could do anything in any way he wanted; the father did not have the same faith.

Many believers today have twisted this passage and others like it to conclude that Christians should expect to see miraculous healing regularly, and if you do not, then your faith is too small. Jesus tells the disciples that the reason they could not heal the epileptic boy was because their faith was too small (17:20). Sounds pretty clear, right? The problem with this kind of conclusion, is that it is based on circumstantial evidence: this is just one case study, not a broad theological explanation of healing and its causes. Of course we are told to pray for the healing of our neighbor and to work for that healing. Of course we are told to have greater faith in the God who heals.

But this is no mathematical formula, akin to the laws of gravity or thermodynamics. It is a command to look to God. Indeed, that is what faith is all about - looking beyong ones' own finite abilities to the One who is strong and able to do the impossible. Most importantly, the eyes of faith look to Jesus in the hope of being reconciled to God, being justified before our Judge, being cleansed of all sin, having the curse removed, and being transformed to live new lives by the power of the Spirit. This is the kind of healing that is promised in every circumstance (unlike definite physical healing).

May our faith be centered on the God who does the impossible, and not just on the results or benefits of that faith. Let us seek God's face and not merely His hand.

But who do you say that I am?

Matthew 16:16-17

Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

...............

Our world continues to be confused about who Jesus really was. Was he a great moral teacher? Was he an off-the-wall cult leader? Was he a mystical gnostic iconoclast? The Gallup poll of First Century Palestine was not much different. Some people thought he was just a prophet. Some thought he was the reincarnation of John the Baptist, Elijah, or Jeremiah. Some thought he was full of the devil and needed to be executed. But, of all people, the guy who got it right was an old fisherman named Peter.

We've already seen Peter goof things up a little bit on the Sea of Galilee. He doubted that it was Jesus walking on the water. He doubted that God could keep him standing on the waves. Later, he doubts whether claiming Jesus as a friend is worth being arrested, so he denies him three times. And, worst of all, in this very chapter he doubts him, right after getting the correct answer on this identity test. He was truly blessed, but he was also a mess!

Doubt is a form of pride. This is hard for me to swallow, being often doubtful myself, but it still needs to be said: doubt is a form of pride. When someone doubts the clear teaching of the Bible, they are claiming to be smarter than God, to have more common sense than their Maker. We think we've figured out a plot hole in God's great story and we're determined to milk it in order to justify our disobedience. Doubt is not romantic; it is poisonous.

But, it is also encouraging to know that the early followers of Christ were essentially doubters, cowards, and riff-raff of all varieties. This religion is not for the ivory tower and its not just for the already spiritually-minded. It is a "ragamuffin" gospel of sorts. Jesus meets us where we are, takes our smoldering embers of faith, and fans them into flame. Flesh and blood do not reveal that Jesus is the Christ; that is, no logic or common sense point to that conclusion. It is truly the Father alone that makes him known. Even moreso is this true because of the kind of Christ that Jesus was -- not an earthly king coming in power (he will one day be that!), but a humble shepherd laying down his life for his sheep.

And he calls us to do likewise (16:24-28).