He's A Good Good Father

Recently I was in a conversation with someone and when I had finished sharing briefly about Joel's overnight healing, their response to me was, "Well, God must really love Joel."  Even though this conversation took place months ago, it has not been easily forgotten.  Mostly because I was so stunned by the response that I did not argue the point with this person.  I did not get to say....God. loves. everyone.  With a perfect love.  He does not love some more than others.  That is a lie from the devil.  Period.

When Joel was healed overnight and 3 months later the doctor had examined him, and affirmed the Lyme, arthritis, thyroid condition, and others health issues were all gone, her response was, "Well, Joel is a pastor so God would heal him."  That was three years ago and it sounds as bizarre to us now as it did then.  Yet another lie that God plays favorites.

God loves us so much He sent His only Son to die on the cross for the sins of the world.  He carried our burdens, our diseases, our sins on that cross.  The suffering He endured must have been horrible.  We cannot imagine.  How can we not believe that He loves us, warts and all.

God does not cause bad things to happen to us.  He does not want us to suffer.  Some people believe that they have been given the burden of sickness to carry for the glory of God.  Some people believe that when a child dies, God needed another angel in Heaven.  Some people believe that God punishes us with disease and death to teach us something.  Does that sound like a loving God to you?

Joel is not well because God loves him more that others.  He is not well because He is favored by God as a pastor.  A child does not die because God pointed the finger at them and said today is your day to die.  If that were true, why would people even go to doctors?  If God decides every day who will live and who will die, then why fight cancer or heart disease if it comes?  It must be from God, right?  Wrong!

We live in a broken world.  God has given us a free will.  The covenant with Adam and Eve was broken with the first bite of the "apple"  God does not go back on His Word, so He sent His Son to earth to give us a new covenant of love and forgiveness and eternal life with Him.  That's how much He loves us. 

I don't deny we are tested, stretched, and shaped by God. But I will never believe He wants His children to be abused, neglected, forgotten, sick, and dying.  He wants us to have a full life fulfilling His purpose here on earth. The enemy, our broken world. and the sins of others cause the pain and death we see around us.

I don't begin to have all the answers.  Even though I believe God's plan is for good and not for evil, I feel confused and wrapped up in the mysteries of God on a daily basis.  I have plenty of unanswered questions, but here is what do I know.  God is Soverign.  He is Love.  He forgives. He delights.  He is a good, good Father.  When we pray for healing and someone is not healed I do not look to God as the one who came to "kill, steal and destroy".  I look to Him as the One who came to "give us life and give it to us abundantly".  I don't blame the person, judging their level of faith.  I don't feel shame when I don't see full healing in my own life.  I turn to the Word, I listen to His Living Word and His promises and I focus on them.   And I remember He is a good, good Father.  That is Who He Is!