Anonymous
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
"When a small child dies." How about when someone sells your child? Or sells you and keeps your child for himself?
I'm a descendant of people who know how that makes you feel! I'm a descendant of people who know what that makes you think about God.
What does the evidence say it did to them? It made them call out to him even more! I think they are (not were, are) some of the greatest witnesses to ever live. For a few hundred years their situation stayed the same; (it's fashionable now to try to clean it up, try to make their lives seem not so tragic; but it's useless telling that to their descendants).
They continued praying; they were raped at the will of their masters. They kept on praying! Hope was in short supply; they kept believing that someday God would turn their cries to laughter, their heartaches to joyous praise!
They made up songs about it; one of my favorites is "After the storm cloud passes over" (everything will be alright). Another is, "I'll fly away."
Was it God's will for them? For their descendants? NO!
I think "God's will" is one of the most misunderstood concerns of all times. It has nothing to do with people being free or slaves, or babies living or dying.
'I have come not to do my will but the will of him who sent me. This is his will, that I should lose none he gives me, but raise them up at the last day. My Father's will is that everyone who believes in the Son will have eternal life.' (Jn 6:38-40)
Jesus' ministry is God's will. PERIOD!
Danny Hickman
There are scriptures that tell us God's "concerns" for us:
Show me your WAYS Lord, teach me your PATHS. Guide me in your TRUTH and teach me... (Psalm 25:4,5)
God's ways, paths, and his truth.
Your WORD is a lamp for my feet, a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)
God's word and what it means to us.
Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's PURPOSE that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)
God has a purpose for us.
For I know the PLANS I have for you... (Jeremiah 29:10-14)
God has plans for us.
God has ways, paths, and plans for us, but what about his will for us. Jesus instructed his disciples to pray and ask that God's "Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6: 10).
When told that his mother and siblings were outside wanting to talk to him, his response was, "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:35).
Finally, Paul sheds some light on what is the 'will of God':
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).
God's will is "pleasing and perfect" for us when we are transformed and have our minds made new again. I think that means when we're "born again."
Does losing a child cause our minds to be renewed toward God? Or maybe some other tragedy, or even a victory! I don't think so.
God's plan and purpose is for us to be renewed.
And Jesus is the Way!