Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cool and breezy this morning, and the Hand of God is still withholding the rain…at least for now…even though the earth is beginning to beg for water. There’s no need to complain about the lack of rain in Virginia or to question God about what’s going on in the dark world, for that matter. HE ALREADY KNOWS we need rain, and HE ALREADY KNOWS what’s going to happen long before it does. It’s human nature to wonder WHY God does what He does, but He doesn’t owe us answers. The Bible says, “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command,” so I put my Trust in the One who formed the earth. He already Knows when He’ll release the rain…and when He does, it will be the Perfect Time for nourishment. He already knows the day we’re to be born and the day we’ll die, and nobody robs the Living God…not even a random killer. Nobody “takes a life” and takes God by surprise. We’re all going to pass from the earth one day, and even though we don’t know how or when…God does. Is a car accident a more merciful way to die than cancer? Is dying of old age a more merciful way to die than drowning? The time to die will come for all, and ONLY God knows how and when. I don’t need to be concerned about things of this world because I’m just passing through, and I don’t need to critique the Hand of God because I don’t know His mind! You might wonder how I can so easily accept the things I see and hear about in this crazy dark world the way I do…well, I’d say is because I was “beaten” into Spiritual Submission to the Living God a long time ago – I died to myself and I traded my Will for His – and now I TRUST THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD no matter what. Isn’t that the way it is for you, too?

It’s troubling to see a world divided while so many people are shaking their fists at God and demanding answers for recent events, but God doesn’t owe us answers – He only “owes” us Truth. We KNOW that “ALL things work together for Good for those who love Him and are called according to His Purpose” – that should be all the Comfort we need at such a time as this! After all, we Know how the Story began, and we Know how the story ends – but all those in-between things we want to understand, and wish we were “in the know” are Managed by the One who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name”. There was a man by the name of Habakkuk who pleaded with God to reveal His plans, and God responded with “Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Who are we to question the Plans of God? Who are we to question His Timing? Who are we to imply that God has been robbed when people die in a “tragic” manner? The disciples died “tragic” deaths too – they were beaten, crucified, beheaded, etc., and I don’t believe I’ve ever read that they were killed without the Knowledge of God. Could He have stopped it? Of course, He could! But there was a greater Purpose in calling them Home when and how He did than insisting on death by “natural causes” because (apparently) it is the only compassionate way to die. We don’t know the mind of God, and the sooner we quit claiming we do, the better off the world will be.

There once was a man by the name of Job who suffered indescribable loss all at once – ALL of his kids were killed, ALL of his servants were killed, ALL of his livestock (his ability to make a living) were killed, AND he was robbed of his HEALTH…all these things happened within minutes of each other. What was Job’s response?

It wasn’t to take to the Internet to spit out lies and insults.

It wasn’t to spread hate and deny God.

It wasn’t to take to the streets to celebrate murder.

It wasn’t to mock the God who could have prevented the violence in the first place, but He chose not to.

The Bible says that Job responded to his tragedies by saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Be like Job.