Dec 7, 2010
Advent: When God Makes Our Problems His Own-Part Two
Whenever someone brings up the problem of evil in our world or criticizes God for how things have played out, I always want to know what they would do differently or better. In a sense, this has everything to do with Advent. However, we need to set a few ground rules and look at a few options before looking at the birth of Jesus.
Why Are We Here?
Christians and any other religion that believes in a god, teach that God created the world. We didn’t arrive here by chance or luck. Christians in particular believe that God created us to be in relationship with him.
Therefore, if we follow this “free will” line of reasoning, God did not create us to be robots who obeyed him. God also doesn’t force himself on us. He wants us to choose to love him and to love others on our own.
What Options Do We Have?
Therefore, God could cancel his plans to work with us and to reach out to us. He could conceivably take control, force himself on us. However, God is defined by love and relationship, and such forceful action would run counter to his nature. His eyes are searching the earth for those who are seeking him.
If God doesn’t take control of us and our world, how else can he deal with sin and all of our other problems? I mean, there have been times when I wouldn’t have minded God taking control of things, but then again, that wouldn’t change anything for you or me personally. I believe God has a better way forward.
Bearing and Overcoming Evil
The thought of Jesus hanging on the cross with angels at his command is startling for me. God himself came to us in the person of Jesus, suffered like any other person, and then endured a painful death with the weight of the world’s sins upon him.
God didn’t choose a superficial plan that solves our problems for today and leaves us unchanged. God dealt with the roots of our problems by facing all of the evil in our world, bearing it on the cross, and then overcoming it through the Resurrection.
The Intimacy of God
God is not detached from us and our suffering. He faced it head-on in ways we cannot imagine. However, God will also not use the nuclear option. He modeled the way we should live and left his Spirit among us. If we can stop filling our brains with every other influence from the internet, TV, and radio, we may be quiet enough to hear him.
I crave that quiet time during Advent this year. I want to ponder the wonder of his incarnation and his plan to bear our sin and suffering. Every time I think of this incredible plan to work with us from the inside out, I’m blown away by the patience and compassion of God.
He gives us time to repent. He offers second chances. He waits for us when we can hardly scrape a few minutes together. He does all of this because he has not wavered from his original plan to be in relationship with his creation.
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I have to admit, I don’t tend to think about Good Friday and Easter this time of year–in fact, I’d rather not think about it, because it messes with the sweet Image I have of a newborn baby. But it’s definitely important to see the big picture–the arc of love and justice. Thanks for the reminder.
In reality, there really are no problems that are simply “our own.” In the context of the greater battle for love and loyalty, all our problems really are His at every level. Beautiful column. Thank you.