Perhaps all our lives defy understanding without knowledge of context.”
–Stephen Bly (Throw the Devil Off the Train)
“The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.”
“The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.”
–Habakkuk 3:19(NLT)
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I don’t understand! I don’t understand why there is so much suffering in the world; yet at the same time I do realize it is because of sin. I don’t understand why this person dies, while another lives; yet I do realize that God is sovereign. Sickness, suffering, sorrow, terror, hatred, bitterness, depression, and on I could add to the list–what a world we live in today; yet it all goes back to the sin issue. Sin, the issue that man does not want to deal with; yet at the same time it is what Jesus came into this world to defeat.
There is an old hymn, written during the Depression (wouldn’t that be an interesting study–to look at the songs written in the church during the Depression), in 1937 by W.B. Stevens. Bad things happen to God’s people. Trials, temptations, testings come in one form or another. Why–I don’t understand?
“Tempted and tried we’re oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all the day long,
While there are others living about us,
Never molested tho in the wrong.”
Sounds like the Prophet Habakkuk questioning God. Why do the wicked seem to prosper? Why does it seem that God’s people seem to suffer? When are You going to do something about it, God?
“When death has come and taken our loved ones,
It leaves our home so lonely and drear;
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
Living so wicked year after year.”
I don’t understand! Yet in our walk with God, He assures us that He is with us, that He cares for us, that He will be with us in all the situations we face in life. This song, “Father Along,” has in recent years been much maligned. It is said to be a dirge, a song that depresses, yet when I look at it, read and contemplate the words, what I see is the answer to, I don’t understand. I see hope and faith in this song. The words of the Prophet again come to mind: if there is nothing left, if my bones are decaying, if I see distress upon the land, though there is pestilence and famine–“Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:16-19)
“Faithful till death said our loving Master,
A few more days to labor and wait;
Toils of the road will then seem as nothing,
As we sweep thru the beautiful gate.”
One day, and I’m not sure we’ll understand it all then either, but we will not care. Our focus will be on the Lord as He calls us home. Ahh, the word “home.” This world tries to hold us, tries to test us, and often we get tempted to build a permanent dwelling here. But listen! Our home is being hammered right now on the streets of glory. One day…
“When we see Jesus coming in glory,
When He comes from His home in the sky;
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion,
We’ll understand it all by and by.”
Farther along we’ll know all about it,
Farther along we’ll understand why;
Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,
We’ll understand it all by and by.”
Grasp hold and hang onto that one phrase–“Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine.” Don’t get down, look and focus on Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit truly be your Comforter. In the midst of the cloudy days, continue to live in the sunshine. Don’t let the devil steal your joy, your peace, your faith. One day…
———————————-
I don’t understand! I don’t understand why there is so much suffering in the world; yet at the same time I do realize it is because of sin. I don’t understand why this person dies, while another lives; yet I do realize that God is sovereign. Sickness, suffering, sorrow, terror, hatred, bitterness, depression, and on I could add to the list–what a world we live in today; yet it all goes back to the sin issue. Sin, the issue that man does not want to deal with; yet at the same time it is what Jesus came into this world to defeat.
There is an old hymn, written during the Depression (wouldn’t that be an interesting study–to look at the songs written in the church during the Depression), in 1937 by W.B. Stevens. Bad things happen to God’s people. Trials, temptations, testings come in one form or another. Why–I don’t understand?
“Tempted and tried we’re oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all the day long,
While there are others living about us,
Never molested tho in the wrong.”
Sounds like the Prophet Habakkuk questioning God. Why do the wicked seem to prosper? Why does it seem that God’s people seem to suffer? When are You going to do something about it, God?
“When death has come and taken our loved ones,
It leaves our home so lonely and drear;
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
Living so wicked year after year.”
I don’t understand! Yet in our walk with God, He assures us that He is with us, that He cares for us, that He will be with us in all the situations we face in life. This song, “Father Along,” has in recent years been much maligned. It is said to be a dirge, a song that depresses, yet when I look at it, read and contemplate the words, what I see is the answer to, I don’t understand. I see hope and faith in this song. The words of the Prophet again come to mind: if there is nothing left, if my bones are decaying, if I see distress upon the land, though there is pestilence and famine–“Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:16-19)
“Faithful till death said our loving Master,
A few more days to labor and wait;
Toils of the road will then seem as nothing,
As we sweep thru the beautiful gate.”
One day, and I’m not sure we’ll understand it all then either, but we will not care. Our focus will be on the Lord as He calls us home. Ahh, the word “home.” This world tries to hold us, tries to test us, and often we get tempted to build a permanent dwelling here. But listen! Our home is being hammered right now on the streets of glory. One day…
“When we see Jesus coming in glory,
When He comes from His home in the sky;
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion,
We’ll understand it all by and by.”
Farther along we’ll know all about it,
Farther along we’ll understand why;
Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,
We’ll understand it all by and by.”
Grasp hold and hang onto that one phrase–“Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine.” Don’t get down, look and focus on Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit truly be your Comforter. In the midst of the cloudy days, continue to live in the sunshine. Don’t let the devil steal your joy, your peace, your faith. One day…