Ask it correctly

Has anyone ever asked you the question "How can a loving God allow bad things to happen"? That seems to be a very common position/excuse for many people who want nothing to do with God. That question can be a challenging one to answer for some of us too! I am reading a book by Piper and Taylor called "The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World". I am only about half way through it so I can't recommend it yet, but so far it has been a real blessing! There is a quote in this book that I just have to share with you! It tackles the above question in a very outstanding way!

The narration starts by asking the person who asks the above question to ask the qusstion properly. They obviously don't have a clue what you just said, and then you answer their question this way:

"Look me in the eyes and ask me this: "How on earth can a holy and righteous God know what I did and thought and said yesterday and not kill me in my sleep last night?" Ask it that way, and we can talk. But until you ask it like that, you do not understand the issue. Until you ask the question that way, you believe the problem is out there somewhere. Until you ask the question that way, you believe that there are some individuals who, in and of themselves, deserves something other then the wrath of Almighty God. When you ask the question that way-when you say, "Why is it that we are here today? Why has He not consumed and devoured each and everyone of us? Why? Why O God, does your judgment and wrath tarry?" -Then you truly understand the issue"

That answer to that question is the most complete and well thought out answer I have ever heard or read. Once you understand where you are positionally with Almighty God, you are better able to understand who that Almighty God is.