Craig Clouston

Answer Me!

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

Job 38:4

Pausing mid-sentence, Beth was mindful of the grief in her friend’s question, “Why would God allow a child to die?!” She hurt for Heather in the loss of their infant granddaughter. She also knew that some questions just don’t receive a satisfactory answer. And the ‘why’ in the death of a child tops that list.

“God took my grandbaby!” Heather said angrily.

“Heather,” Beth said softly, “God didn’t need Kelly in Heaven. He didn’t take her.”

“He did just what he did to Job!” the grieving grandmother stated. “God killed all Job’s kids and family…his livestock…everything Job had God took away! He took Shelly from us!”

“Job did lose his family,” Beth agreed. “But God wasn’t the one who took them. He gave Satan permission to do anything to Job except kill him, testing Job to see if he would curse God. He was showing Satan that Job would not denounce his Creator no matter the amount of loss.”

“He could have stopped it! Why didn't He?!”

“I don't know the answer, Heather, only God knows why...”

“Why did you take her, God?! Answer me! Why?!”

†

On this earth we are not born into Heaven. The realm in which we live is currently enemy occupied. Someday that will change. For now, God is limited by our free will and His greater plan for mankind.

Sadly, and yet understandably, in times of great heartache we wrongly judge His motives, and challenge our Creator: “Answer me!”

Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…” So the simple answer to our question is, ‘God is God, and I am not’. But that’s not a satisfactory answer for most of us. The truth is, as it was for Job, God doesn’t owe us an answer. And that’s what infuriates us because we feel entitled.

But remember, God gave Adam a command in the Garden of Eden. Obedience was not mandatory. Adam’s disobedience came with tremendous consequences. Consequences we sometimes unjustly blame God for.

Prayer

“Help me in those times when I need an answer and You are silent, Lord. Teach me to trust You as Job did. And when I scream ‘This isn’t fair!’ hold me close while giving me room to grieve. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”