Where is your God?

Where is your God when things are hard? Where is your God when things are going wrong? Maybe this interpretation of part of the Bible in a poem by Rael Mason gives the answer from a Christian perspective better than most. I think it does, but have a listen and decide for yourself. Where is your God, Rael Mason.

Click on the link to listen above to the poem then think about the quotes below, and decide whether you agree.

Things are... "this way so that I can be in it, and rather than burn it or bin it,
He lovingly crafts at the cracks and decays, He tends to me slowly, adding colour to greys.
‘til He restores me to His masterpiece; His ‘meant to be’.
Here is my God" (Rael Mason)

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (C.S. Lewis)

Hold out your hands...

Maybe the things that are most precious and bring us most joy can also be a source of worry, a cause to fear. The fear of loosing those things. 

This canal boat near our house has been named 'Precious'. The person who owns it obviously loves it and takes joy from it. To them it is something precious. We each have things like this whether it is an object as big as a boat or as small as a wedding ring or a person; a friend or our children.

Stop today to consider the things you hold close.

Hold your hands out in front of you in an open position.

Imagine in your hands all those things that are important to you. Is it family? Is it meeting with friends? Is it food? Is it sport? Or is it ambition? Read through the following as you consider those things in front of you and what they mean to you.

In our hands we hold what is most special to us.
Consider why they are special. 
What do they add to your life?
Why do you care for them?

We often cling on to these things, 
in the hope that if we cling tightly enough they won't escape.

That somehow we can keep them always. But is that real? 
How much can we hold onto the things we love?

Think about the ways you can protect those things, how you can treat them as precious.

Consider those things you are holding in your hands,

Over the passage of time things will change.
People move on, ambitions may remain un-achieved and desires unfulfilled.

What now, after those things are not there? 

Stop and think what feelings come to mind, when you think of loosing those things? How does that make you want to respond? Are there things you want to change in your life as a result?

The creator of the world holds all things in his hands,

He knows what is precious to us,

All that we hold close he can hold in his hands,

When we give God what is precious to us,

Our hands will be empty to grasp onto his.

What part does God play in your life?

I hate the way things are!

I look at the horrible things going on in Syria and I'm angry the world is this way, even angry with God that things like this happen, that people cause each other suffering. It is at times hard to put together the two pictures of God I see in the world; One of a God who doesn't stop these things happening and one of a loving God .

The question of why God doesn't stop things like this is massively difficult. Others have expressed a frustration at this in the Bible (such as in the Old Testament Habakkuk 1:12-14). Christians, including me, get frustrated at God. 

But despite our frustration and the lack of a clear answer, I believe God understands and experiences the suffering that goes on. Through Jesus he suffered. Jesus experienced rejection, beatings, crucifixion....he suffered and as he did God his parent suffered with him. God has shown he understands through Jesus  and has through Jesus shown us how to live in a way that would eradicate suffering.

"Love your neighbour as you love yourself" (The Bible, Mark 12:31)

But people do not live as Jesus lived. In all walks of life we see people acting wrongly. We see that people have the freedom to act how they choose unless they are restrained by others. An example of someone intent on in-human behaviour who was unrestrained, was Hitler. He persecuted the Jews and led others to do the same. 

However what if all Germany had stood against and refused to follow Hitler? 

The words of German, Martin Niemoller give a poignant reminder of the potential consequences of turning a blind eye to the suffering of others.  

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me.

We must stand up for the rights of others. We must speak out. We must show love to our neighbour as Jesus taught whatever the cost, because that is how the world will be changed for the better. We should be shouting at those who allow injustice. We should stir ourselves to act on behalf of those who are downtrodden and hurt. Because that will change things.

But that action will certainly have a cost. Time? Money? Effort? Our lives? Are you willing to accept that cost to yourself?