TIMM@fnal.bitnet (10/29/90)
A common question asked with any tragedy (the Holocaust) is a favorite example lately is "Couldn't God have stopped that?" Two possible answers. 1) No. But if we believe this, then God is not in charge of the universe, nor omnipotent. 2) Yes, God could have stopped this. God could have stopped any sin. God could stop any disaster, and he didn't. God is God, and with the position comes a certain responsibility for everything that goes on in the universe, yes, even sin. We must realize that the buck always stops with God. But the point is 1) in any hardship or disaster, God suffers *with* His children. Sin hurts him much more than it hurts us. Yet He is willing to be misunderstood, to take the blame for sin which He did not cause, for plagues, and disasters, and everything, so there will be time for the full consequences of sin to be played out, and for the clear demonstration of His character in Christ and in the people He has saved. 2) If the disaster has hurt people, God is ready and waiting to work for good in all things. If we hold a grudge against anybody, God is the most logical one to hold it against, but it would be better if we didn't hold grudges against Him and instead let Him work to remedy the situation. Steve