Tuesday, June 08, 2010

 

'The problem of misfortune'

'The problem of evil' -- that's easy for me to accept: People have tremendous capacity for good, and evil (certain limitations, obviously, apply).

But 'the problem of misfortune' -- Haiti earthquake, Katrina, Dr. ER's increasingly debilitating illnesses!

What's my prayer?

What's my recourse but to pray?

To hope for healing from You, You alleged Healer! Or is it all snake oil?

Where is hope? She does not deserve this chronic pain. No one does.

MY GOD, help me in my unbelief.

I do not trust YOU to show that YOU really give a damn. Take that as my sacrifice tonight! Put it on your altar and smoke it!

--ER

Comments:
Job 42 (The Message)

1-6 Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything.
Nothing and no one can upset your plans.
You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water,
ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?'
I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me,
made small talk about wonders way over my head.
You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking.
Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.'
I admit I once lived by rumors of you;
now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears!
I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise!
I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."
 
Not enough.
 
Not enough?
Anything else is BS.
There's a whole lot of semi-satisfying BS written on this subject. Wander through it all if you want. If you are going to be a typical Pastor you will probably need a studied patter to use.

In the end it is simply summed up in the concept "Shit Happens". It can't be rationally explained, just shoveled away and cleaned up.
That's the real thing that has to be addressed, the shoveling and the cleaning.
 
If it were my own pain it would be one thing. But it's not.

There IS not enough. You just got to trudge on anyway.

This is where, when she asks me, Do you really believe in God? Really? ... I say, all i can say is I try to follow (that is) imitate Jesus, and Jesus believed in and trusted God to the bitter end. And some days I imitate Jesus better than others.
 
Shovel and clean....
 
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