Where was God? Advent Day 18. December 18, 2013.

“Therefore it has to have been allowed to happen. That’s not the question. Rather, the only question is whether it was allowed to happen for no reason or whether there was, within it, a redemptive purpose.”*

“On 9/11 people were asking, ‘Where was God?’”

“Where was God?” he said, as if surprised by the question.

Where was God?

Where is God?

That really is the question.

In the pain,

and heartache,

and tragedy.

Where was God?

War,

famine,

shootings,

natural disasters,

terrorists attacks.

Where was God?

I really think this question burns within the heart of each person at one point or another.

Even in the hearts of those who claim to not believe.

There is just something to knowing there is a higher power.

But where was He?

            “Where was God?” he said, as if surprised by the question. “We drove Him out of schools, out of our government, out of our media, out of our culture, out of our public square. We drove Him out of our national life, and then we ask, ‘Where is God?’”

            “In the middle of the twentieth century America began officially removing God from its national life. It abolished prayer and Scripture in its public school…Removed the Ten Commandments from public view…The very mention of the name God or Jesus in any relevant context became more and more taboo and unwelcome unless for the purpose of mockery and attack…Children were taught of sexual immorality in public schools where the Word of God was banned.”

Ironic that we do everything in our collective power to get rid of a particular Entity,

but the moment we need something,

we expect Him to be there.

Where was God?

Despite driving Him out of everything...

Despite the fact that He should have left us all to the wild beasts...

            “Then He wasn’t there?”

            “Still, He was there. He was there with those who lost their loved ones and is still there to heal the broken and comfort those who mourn. He was there with those who gave their lives so that others could live, shadows of Him. And He was there, as well, with all the countless others who would have perished that day if not for the countless turn of details and events that saved them. And for those who perished…those who were with God in life are now with Him in eternity. For these, it was not a day of national calamity but of release. He was with them and is with them.”

Where was God?

He was there.

In the pain,

sorrow,

tragedy,

attacks,

shootings,

bombing,

national,

and personal.

He was there.

And He is there.

Despite the fact that we, collectively,

drive Him out of our schools,

our nation,

our government,

and our families.

What an incredible God.

We offend Him more than we could ever think of offending a human being,

demand to know where He is during the hard times or the times it are convenient,

and He shows Himself.

He is there.

He has been all along. 

But we are too busy 

trying to erase every speck of Him

to know that. 

Even though we have no right to ask, “Where was God?”

based on our actions and behaviors,

and answer is and will always be,

“Right here. With you all along. Always will be.” 

*The parts in quotations came from The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn; pages 20, 21, 31.