For when I looked upon the beauty and upon the distance, I could only think how short was a man’s life, with all the things to be done, the words to be spoken, the many miles to ride.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Man From the Broken Hills)
“Fear of the Lord lengthens one’s life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.”
–Proverbs 10:27 (NLT)
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If you were the Creator, how would you create your “best” world? Ever pondered that? We often get mad at God for things that happen, but that is because we only look in the physical realm or look at the situation selfishly. Remember, in your creation you must include a spiritual realm, and there is a real devil. Okay, begin to create.
Do you take free will away from man so that he cannot sin? Or perhaps your world would be robotic. There are those who hold that view; let the robots rule, they have no emotion and no choices to make. Any world in which there is no hurt or possibility of hurt is not a world in which freedom is possible. Why did Adam sin? He chose to sin. We sin as Adam sinned. We choose to sin. Why then do we choose to blame God for the horros of our sins and bad choices?
Look at the aspect of Satan. He is real, despite what the enlightened people of the world would tell you. He is the total opposite of God. God is love, Satan is hate. He has a very real interest in seeing the world suffer. Ponder the following by David Grey Barnhouse.
“War had been declared. The great, governing cherub had become the malignant enemy. Our God was neither surprised nor astonished, for, of course, He knew it before it happened that it would happen, and He had His perfect plan ready to be put into effect. Although the Lord had the power to destroy Satan with a breath, He did not do so. It was as though an edict had been proclaimed in heaven: ‘We shall give this rebellion a thorough trial. We shall permit it to run its full course. The universe shall see what a creature, though he be the highest creature ever to spring from God’s Word, can do apart from Him. We shall watch this experiment, and permit the universe of creatures to watch it, during this brief interlude between eternity past and eternity future called time. In it the spirit of independence shall be allowed to expand to the utmost. And the wreck and ruin which shall result will demonstrate to the universe, and forever, that there is no life, no joy, no peace apart from complete dependence upon the Most High God, Possessor of heaven and earth.'”
Therefore, between the two endless eternities there is “time.” We clamor about independence, but it is during this time that it will be shown. Look at all that has happened during time on earth. Look at all that has happened since man made his fateful choice in the Garden. Between the Fall and God’s final and complete restoration there is much pain and suffering. (Brown) This is due to the choice of man and the onslaught of Satan.
One other consideration in your creation is to determine where love comes from. One problem with this thought is that man has a very miscued view of love. Man tries to argue the problem of evil, but what about the problem of good? Some say that man created God and that He is no longer valid or needed. But if there were not such a God, a God of love, we would never have thought Him up, unless a loving, sovereign God gave us the idea Himself. (Brown)
Here are a couple of more thoughts to ponder. Why is God as good to us as He is? Sometimes we suffer because we deserve it. Jon Wenham wrote, “The marvel is, in the biblical view, not that men die for their sins, but that we remain alive in spite of them.” Never take for granted the grace of God and the blessings that He bestows.