I’m halfway through with my year of blogging through the bible. I’m currently in Ezekiel, and I feel WAY over my head, but somehow God manages to give me something to write about every day. I’m really experiencing God’s strength through my weakness!
Something stood out to me yesterday as I was reading Ezekiel 8-11… These are the chapters describing Ezekiel’s first temple vision. At the end of this vision, God’s glory departs from the temple because of the enormous sin of the people.
In the middle of the vision, God sends angels out to execute judgment on all but the “remnant.” The judgment was so gruesome that it caused Ezekiel to cry out…
And while they were striking, and I was left alone, I fell upon my face, and cried, “Ah, Lord God! Will you destroy all the remnant of Israel in the outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?” (Ezekiel 9:8)
In the face of such wrath, could Ezekiel be doubting God’s goodness? I don’t know for sure… But I do resonate with the idea of questioning God’s goodness…
Sometimes we are surrounded by such dire circumstances, that we wonder how God could allow such suffering.
I’m familiar with all the theological answers to this age-old question. I get that suffering is a result of sin and that God uses suffering to bring about repentance, faith and sanctification. If you’ve read my blog, you know that I get that. I really do.
But sometimes, like Ezekiel, we are so overwhelmed that we cry out, “Enough is enough!” And whether or not this is an appropriate response or not… it still encourages me that Ezekiel had the guts to be honest. God is big enough to handle our honesty… it’s whether we are brave enough to be honest and vulnerable before God. I believe He meets us there. And I believe He loves us there…
Crayons In My Water 
This morning I sat down and looked up to God and said, I just have a very deep need to ask you some tough questions. I struggle with the suffering in the world and the idea of hell; and lately, a Christian friend’s divorce; which really, is all about the question of God’s goodness. So, God led me to Job. Doesn’t that sound inspriing? He led me. The truth is, I did a “point and shoot” and God was sovereign in it because this is one of the things I read in Job 16: 21 “O that a man might plead with God as a man with his neighbor!” (be honest before Him!) And in the spirit of Ezekiel, a sentiment we can all resonate with regarding trial, “That You (God) would set a limit for me and remember me!” in Job 14:13. And this is wonderful: Job 13: 15 “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. NEVERTHELESS I will argue my ways before Him” And I love how Job rails against the false righteousness of his friends and basically says, How can you know? How can you possibly speak for God? And He goes so far as to say, “I too, could speak like you, if I were in your place” Job 16:4. Wow. If you are looking for a catharsis, a chance to open an honest channel to God, and you are seeking to see His goodness, Job is a good kick-boxing stop along the way! (but i skipped when his friends were doing the talking…) Love to you, my sister. Keep us posted on your journey of comprehending God’s goodness. We all need it. Whether we are willing to admit it or not.
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