Where Is God?

We live in such terrifying times. Each day brings more atrocities. People are dying. People are hurting. People are scared. We never expected our country to be plagued with atrocities but here we are. We never thought our Constitution would be tossed aside. We never thought our supreme justices would turn their backs on the truth. We never thought the President would lead us down a road we never could have imagined we’d be on. I find myself shutting down if I think about it too much. But contrary to public opinion, God cares about more than just the United States. Our troubles are shared with countries all over the world. Countries are being attacked like Ukraine. Countries are starving like the people of Gaza. We have to speak up and out if we want to avoid even greater calamity, but we are not alone in our suffering.

Where is God? I believe He is present with us. I believe He is witnessing our pain. He isn’t ignoring it. He isn’t minimizing it. And I believe He will hold people accountable but that correction belongs to Him not me. Yes, He forgives our sins but I don’t think He ignores them either. Those that sow hatred instead of love, intolerance instead of forgiveness, rejection instead of acceptance will be held accountable. Matthew 25:31-46 is the story of the sheep and the goats. The sheep He welcomes. Verses 35-36: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” Those that did not do these things are the goats and they will face the consequences of their actions.

Where is God? God is love. God is forgiveness. God is our perfect parent. But God is also just. God is present. God is powerful. We cannot claim to love God and hate His children – and that is on both sides of the political spectrum. But neither can we whitewash the sins of those who are doing irreparable harm to our country and its citizens. God sees you. He offers forgiveness for those that seek it but do not think your arrogance will be ignored.

Where is God? God is here with the hurting. God is with those imprisoned. God is with those who have died and those who have lost someone to death. God is here with the frightened, reminding us that this life isn’t everything. It is okay to have hope. God is here with those resisting this anarchy. God is strengthening them. God is here with His children, those that are struggling, those that are confused, those that are broken. God is here.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash