Guilty

CBC News just featured a story of the gang leader of the Red Scorpions, Jonathan Bacon. He was gunned down in Langley British Columbia, Canada. That idyllic, picturesque land of Mountains and grand views; of quiet communities and safe streets.

He was shot in broad daylight as shocked witnesses watched what they thought could not be possible, not in their neighbourhood.

The story mentioned how Jonathan never had a bodyguard, taking big risks of walking alone, even blocks from the Courthouse on one occasion.

I wondered how someone could even be interested in the job. Who, in their right mind, would want to throw themselves in harm’s way for a veteran gun and drug lord?

Then it hit me.

There was a man who did just that. He put himself – no, not put – threw himself in harm’s way to take the fall for people who had a ‘guilty’ record as long as a grocery list.

I was the guilty one.

I was the ‘criminal’. Not criminal in the sense that I was socially up to no good but by nature, a criminal; by nature, corrupt and “up to no good”.

It was you too.

Fact is, the life God wants to give us is not a life offered for “good behaviour” and decent moral codes. As the Scriptures teach in Ephesians 2:8-9, “It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving.” (The Message)

As a baby born with fetal alcohol syndrome is the recipient of birth defects because of its mother’s negative choices, so we are born with a defect call sin. It’s an inbred part of our human nature because of the story of the dawn of creation and humanity’s disobedience to God’s instructions – instructions for our good and well-being.

One of the most dangerous realities we face is rejecting the whole reality of our condition. We can choose to see the picturesque images and pay attention to the “I’m not a bad person” landscape and do nothing about the reality of the conditions around us, within us. It’s not about being bad people. It’s about dealing with a condition that is fallen and defective. The remedy is the work of Jesus who decided he’d take the hit.

And he did it gladly.

“Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners…Jesus got us out of the mess we’re in.” (The Message, Romans 3:23)

The question now is, what are we going to do with it?

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Why?

“How can God allow things like this famine to happen when he has such control?” The question is in reference to the current African famine that is reaching unprecedented proportions.

That was the question texted to me by a young adult. A fair question. A difficult question.

It’s the question that is as old as time. The Psalm writer asked in 44:24, “Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?”

A question of this depth cannot be answered easily or with definitive rationale like solving a math equation. Do this and you’ll arrive at this unchallenged conclusion.

What I can offer here are the answers that somewhat satisfy my ‘why’. My thanks to a few trusted advisors, colleagues who grappled with the same question.

1. It begins with “the fall”. For me the question always reaches back to “the Fall” as in Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden lessons. Every illness, pain, grief and disaster is our reality because Satan enticed and convinced us of a different option; one that he said was life and it in fact was death as God warned. Death comes in many forms, not just the expunging of breath from a body. This is the starting point.

2. Our expectations are hampered by limited human thinking. We wonder in these situations why God doesn’t do something. How do we know he isn’t doing something? What we’re asking is, “why doesn’t God do what I think is the best course of action and that is step in and stop the famine and….”? For instance, couldn’t the current famine be an opportunity for the world to come together as a global community? Is it possible that one of the reasons God put us in charge of the world’s resources is for us to act on his behalf? If this is the case, it is obvious we’re not responding and as human nature dictates, we always need to blame someone else for the mess. It is shameful that we have the resources to eradicate world poverty in a matter of days if not hours.

3. There are other realities that contribute to the complexity of ‘why’. I really think God is doing something, even in the context of what we would expect. World aid agencies are sending tons of food, medical supplies, clothing, etc., only to have much of that blocked by power-hungry people who are raping and killing their people, driving them into exile and forcing them to live in squatter camps. So even the small measure of response being attempted is struggling to make a difference. As a valued advisor notes, “In Africa, there is an opportunity for the world to respond with compassion and bring resources to bear, which has happened to some degree. But even there, human sin which manifests itself in greed, power struggles, political violence, and so forth still plays a role.”

4. My ‘why’ makes room for trust that God is doing something and is actively engaged in world affairs.  Any person who is in relationship with God knows his heart. There are some things that, for whatever reasons, even God cannot intervene and change. My colleague’s insight says it best. “We can choose to believe in a God who is ultimately sovereign, or simply be burdened by the despair that no one, no God, is in control. I choose the leap of faith that God is in control, even when I don’t know what to make of it. This is based to some degree on my experience of God’s mercy, love, and character … but ultimately is a leap of faith.” Notice the word “experience”. Being in relationship with God and seeking to gain insight into historical, spiritual and social dynamics are critical steps to helping make sense of what seems to have no ‘reason’.

The questions continue. Faith needs room for response. We will continue to ask the hard questions, realise there are no easy answers and then, make one of two choices. We will adopt conclusions that say God doesn’t care, that there is no control in the world. Or, we can decide, through an act of faith, that he is engaged, he is responding and those things that don’t come with easy answers can be put in His hands to sort out. After all, He is God and one thing that makes Him God is His superiority to the rest of us so that, while we have questions, He knows all the answers.

Maybe part of our development and growth is discovering answers along the way.

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Glimpses of God

Today was shaping up to be like most days with lots of regular work and some afternoon visitation to my hospitalized members.

When I arrived at the office I saw the text on my office phone’s 1 by 2 inch screen – “Message for you”.

Most days any messages I get are from people who want something from me – a food hamper and the like. I don’t recall ever getting a message that said, “Just calling to tell you I’m thinking about you and praying for you today”. I’m not judging because I don’t often do that either.

This message was from a young man who wanted to talk to me about the “being saved” or put another way, he wanted to be in relationship with God.

We met for coffee which led to him and his wife coming back to my office which resulted in them asking God to change their direction and priorities and to take leadership in their lives. It was awesome!

It’s been a refreshing reminder of what life is about. Life is about LIFE – “For God so loved the world John 3:16 stuff”.

Thank you God for this glimpse of your presence; for reminding me what the most important thing is.

YES!

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