When Bad Things Happen

I want to dedicate this to my son Kaleb, because the age of the kids in this story are about his age, plus, after telling him this we had a little talk about when bad things happen.

I told you all I get all kinds of e-mails from different ministries and they help inspire me in many different areas. I got an email last Saturday that really made me think more about the things I should tell my ten year old son.  The e-mail was from Commander Bill with Awana.  He usually has good advice for your Awana clubs.  But this week He told the story about a tragedy that happened at an Awana camp a couple of weeks ago.  See below for the E-mail:

Severe storms were in the forecast. Prior to the storm arriving, a strong wind came. The campers were in an outdoor pavilion when the counselors saw the weather approaching and had the campers (7-12 year olds) begin to head to the designated enclosed shelter. The wind was so strong, that trees in the heavily wooded area began to snap and fall. Nine children were injured, two of which are in serious condition at local hospitals as I write this, and sadly, a 12 year old died from their injuries (Commander Bill newsletter,  http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=895a5af543b89ce180b9230bc&id=71898403a9, 2014).

He goes on to tell that when one of the injured girls was picked up from the Hospital by her dad she ask him the question.  “Why did God do this to our camp” The father was speechless at this question and was asking the same thing in his heart.  This is why my son and I sat down and had a talk.  

The 1st thing I explained to Kaleb, is that we live in a fallen world because of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  He knows the story, and I explained that because of that sin, God cursed the earth.  (Genesis 3:17-19)

 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Therefore because Mankind sinned, the whole earth is cursed.  This cursing is what caused the storm that killed the child.  It was not God that caused the storm, but the cursed earth.  If you want to take it a step further, it is Mankind’s fault for sinning that caused the death and injuries of these children.  

Then the question comes up, but if God is all powerful, He could have stopped this.  And you are correct, God is all powerful and He could have stopped it and we hear about miracles all the time where God does steps in, but he did not this time.  

You see, God has given Mankind another gift, and other gift is free will.  We have the privilege to choose what we want to do.  This goes clear back to the Garden of Eden.  God told Adam not to eat of the tree, God could have made it impossible to get to the tree, or He could have even stepped in before Satan talked to Eve, but he did not, He allowed it to happen.  Just like the tree falling over and hurting and killing these children, God allowed it to happen because of freewill.

There is one other thing here we need to look at.  That God is in control and He can take this and use it for his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

One of two things usually happens after a tragedy like this.  One, people fall away from God and never want anything to do with Him, the opposite is also true, and people pull together and become stronger and closer to God.  Many Christian organizations have been started out of a tragedy.  This is God stepping in and picking up the pieces.

In my talk with Kaleb, I asked him to remember this and to be able to tell someone if they asked him about why bad things happen.  I feel sorry for the girl and the father in the story because they did not have the answer.  I hope and pray that they come across the right persons to help them and point them in the right direction.

The Lady at MDonalds

The Lady at McDonalds

I was really tired the other night so I went to bed at 9:00 pm, but I woke up at 5:30 am and could not get back to sleep.  I needed to write some e-mails and study because I was leading Bible study that night, so I decided to run to McDonald’s and get this done before everybody else in the house woke up.  I got to McDonalds and placed my normal order and went to set my stuff down where I normally sit when I go to McDonalds to use the internet.  While I was getting my drink, I noticed two guys wearing moving van shirts siting behind where I had put my stuff, cutting up and making a lot of noise.  I thought to myself, "this is not going to work. I will not get anything done with them making all that racket."  I looked, and behind the wall where I normally sit, there is a booth that has a plug, so I decided to go sit there.  I finished getting my drink, get my stuff and move over to the booth I saw.  As I walked around the wall I noticed a lady sitting in the booth behind the one where I was about to sit.  She looked up, and I noddedmy head, said good morning, started unloading my computer and plugged it in, not paying attention to much else.  The next thing I knew, the lady was standing at the end of my table and I looked up with a start.  She asked ,“Can I sit with you, I don’t want to be alone right now.”  I almost said no, everything I have been taught in seminary said to say no, but as I looked up  I could see that she had about a 3 inch abrasion on her forehead.  So after what seemed like forever, I told her yes.  

She slid in to the bench seat across from me.  There was an awkward silence at first, but then she asked what I was doing.  I told her I going to work on some e-mails, then I was leading a Bible study that night and I was going to study for that.  When I said Bible study, she just started to cry. Big tears just ran down her face and then there was a long silence again as she regained her composure.  

It took a couple of minutes for her to regain her composure.  She asked what I was teaching.  I explained I was teaching one of the chapters in the book called, “ The Cure.” She asked what it was all about so I did my best to explain that it was an eye opening way of looking at what Jesus did for us and how we are to live the Christian life at home and at church.  That we do not have to put on a pretty face for church and be all smiles, but we are to go to church and be ourselves, tell people we have problems and help one another live the Christian life.  With that she just poured tears again and it took a long time for her to regain her composure.  

After that we talked for almost an hour.   I found out that she was a Christian and was active when she was young but had not been in church for a while.  She also told me shad fallen down, that was why she had the abrasion on her head.  She also showed me that her left wrist was red and swollen.  I think there was more to her falling down and being at McDonalds at 6 am, but she was still not comfortable telling me more.  She still had not fully embraced the ideas of “The Cure."  She was starting to hurt and asked if I could take her to the Hospital, which of course I did.  I got her checked in and had to leave her there because it was time to pick up my daughter to take her to work.  Sharon and I tried to check on her latter and she was not at the Hospital any more.  

I do not tell this story so you can pat me on the back, but to try to get the church to do our job. We are to be out there helping people and being Jesus to them.  I love "Adventures in Odyssey" a children’s radio show from Focus on the Family.  The other day they played  a show called compassion.  In the show they told the story of a cobbler who has a dream and Jesus tells the cobbler that he is going to meet him the next day.  So, the next morning he keeps looking out the window for Jesus.  One time he looks and he sees an old man shoveling snow, the task is too much for him and he almost passes out.  So, the cobbler calls him in to have some hot tea with some cheese and crackers.  The old man admits he had not eaten in a while.  He thanks the cobbler and goes back to his work.  Later that day the cobbler sees a lady with a baby out the window. She is out in the cold with only a shawl and looks to be freezing to death.  The cobbler invited her in to his shop to warm up.  He gives her some hot tea and porridge and he holds the baby and feed him some milk.  The cobbler finds out that the women pawned her coat a couple of days ago for some food.  So after the cobbler finds that out, he give her the money to get her coat back and gives her some blankets for the baby and sends them on their way.   By this time it is late, and he closes up shop very disappointed that he did not see Jesus.  The cobbler falls asleep and has another dream and he sees Jesus and the cobbler asked, "I thought I was going to see you today."  Jesus answered, "you did, I was the old man shoveling snow and I was the lady with the baby.  

As Christians, this is what we are to be doing, treating everybody as if they are Jesus and doing to them as you would do forJesus.  You want to know how to change the world, just get every Christian to treat everyone else like they are Jesus, and you will change the world.