He Does Because

Romans 11:33-36 - Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?” For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

God and His ways can really take us deep into our thoughts. Often we end up at a wall realizing our lack of knowledge on those things only He knows about. We can ask why would He do this or that and come away with our own unsatisfactory answers, none at all or coming to the conclusion that it's just because.

I had been messaging with a friend on the meaning of God's will. Out of it all, I have to admit my finite mind has to back off and believe one thing: because God can. Because He is sovereign...and He is. He does not cause or will evil, He allows it. But when He does, it is still for a purpose only He is privy to...because He is God...and He wants us to realize that.

He knew sin would enter into the world, yet He created it. Why? To show His glory. To show His nature, power and attributes, His goodness and judgment. To show what happens when you choose evil over good. We need to see both in order to make a choice. We all have choices to make and there will be consequences for them...good or bad.

When all is said and done the answer is, just because. Because He is Creator God. Because He is in control. Because He is sovereign. Because.

I'll tell you, when I get myself to a place where I don't have an answer...and it's okay not to have an answer; it's okay to say I don't know and defer to just trusting God...my thoughts eventually run backward to the beginning where everything began. God, our Alpha, First, Creator. It all started with Him. His infinite wisdom, glory, judgment, plan, creation. He has done all things for His own glory. And that's all we need to know. We need to honor that too. We need to allow Him to be that glory. We cannot negate it.

He does...because!

Some of the points my friend stated she believed I know are not true. She does not believe God knows all things because why would He create at all knowing evil would exist. To show His glory... And why would He create Adam and Eve knowing they would bring sin into the world? To show His glory... And why does God allow death of innocent children? To show His glory...because He is sovereign. A verse from Psalm 139 tells us He is in control and sovereign: Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. They say we are His perfect creation and He knows the beginning from the end of each of our lives. Because of sin in the world, we die. Even this glorifies God, through His sovereign power.

I also know that we must see both sides of God. Just like we must see our sin in order to realize we have a God who loves us enough to allow evil, as it were, into our lives to appreciate how God can also take us out of that evil...through Jesus. We must see His judgment side, or the side we would just as soon not see or hear about, in order to realize His other side, the goodness and righteousness He is. I hope this makes sense. God reveals Himself in both the good and the judgmental. This all shows His glory. How? To show our need for Him in difficult times. To show He is sovereign. To draw us closer to Him, to see how we will react in difficult times, to see whether we are trusting Him.

In some churches only the good side is discussed. And maybe that's why it's hard for some to understand why bad things happen to good people, in particular children. Maybe they have learned only that God is love. I'm not saying that God is judging a small child in their death but that He allows it to happen. It is all part of this fallen world we are in.

So why would He create at all if He knew evil would exist? That question is a tough one. The only answer I can come up with, again, is to show His glory, though it may not seem like enough of an answer. Because He can, He is God. Because He wants His glory to be seen. We need to see His glory in order to believe in Him, although some never do. It's His plan for us, since we have been created by Him, to know Him, believe in Him, trust, follow and obey Him for our eternal life...

And what it boils down to is just believing and trusting Him in all circumstances. Plain and simple. That may just be the hardest thing man can do. Man wants to fix something, find a solution, come up with an answer. And some might even try to do this with God, find a solution about Him that man can understand. God wants us to just trust in Him, let His glory be revealed. Man wants his own glory. He wants his answers to always be the right answers. But we have to admit we don't have all the answers. We have to settle for the answer of just because.

Oh, the questions I will have for Him someday!! Others probably will too. However, the frustration can be quelled by knowing Jesus, following after Him, hearing Him speak through His Word, obeying Him and trusting in Him. That's what all of life is about. It's not all about us.

Job 11:7-9 - Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven— what can you do? Deeper than Sheol— what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.