Sadly these headlines appear way too often. Sadly all too often we are left wondering, "Where in the world is God?" "How could God permit such tragedy?" "Why would God do this?" "Why?"

Like the father in the book The Shack when his daughter is tragically kidnapped and murdered we want answers. We feel as though God owes us an explanation. We want to understand the reasons behind the pain, the suffering, the misfortune. Some answers are easier to find then others. Sometimes there are no answers to be found.

A simple answer would be to say everything is the result of sin. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God not only humanity fell but all of God’s creation fell. We live in a fallen world. We live in a world where we will not only be victimized by our own sin but by the sins of others.

The perfect example of both is: When Banks Fail & Jobs Disappear

Proverbs 27:24 states

"Riches do not endure forever."

Yet millions of dollars and that number may be low are spent by people because they bought into the dollar and dream pitch sold by the lottery. Because they listened to the smooth talking investment brokers who were running a ponzie scam. Because they listened to the bank’s mortgage officer who convincingly told them they could afford the dream house they really couldn’t. The trend is to acquire more and more rather than tend and maintain. As Proverbs 27 points out Riches are preferred over a barn of hay.

Most families live and work in the daily grind of earning a living, loving and caring for our families and trying to be good neighbors. We don’t want excess; we want to have "enough." Still in the backs of our minds, we wish there could be a little more, just a little more to take the edge off our financial worries and make things a little easier. When does legitimate concern for wellbeing become materialism & greediness? When does the desire for possessions take the means of material goods and make them into the ends?

I am willing to believe that just as many families are destroyed because people are drunk with greed as there are families destroyed by drunk drivers. The only difference between a drunk driver driving a car into another car and a pilot flying his plane into a building is the intent. The latter purposely chose to strike terror. Sadly the result is the same loss of innocent life.

In Psalm 31 David provides us with images of his drastic physical deterioration brought on by terrorism. My eyes grow weak… My soul & body with grief… My life is consumed… My strength fails.

These images are waged between David’s call to God to deliver him. Like you and I, David wanted those who were terrorizing him to be justly dealt with by God. But in spite of the terrorism and in spite of the toll it was having on him physical David does not withdraw from God but conveys his complete trust in God.

In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge.
Deliver me in your righteousness.

He expressed his hope for divine response, for help to escape.

Turn Your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue;

As I read those words I picture in my mind the times my sons and grandchildren were sitting on my lap. Wanting my attention they took my face in their hands and turned my face so we were eyeball to eyeball. David wanted that kind of attention from God.

Be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

Having God’s attention he conveys what his need to take refuge in God. He needs a sense of God’s devine presence in the face of ongoing struggle and strife.

Trusting God’s promises, in spite of his physical deterioration he proclaims

He is asking God to lead him safely through the mine field before him.

Lead me through this valley of darkness and death.
Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for You are my refuge.
Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.

Into your hands I commit my spirit.

Do those words sound familiar? They are the very words that Jesus himself prayed from the cross. To say these words is an act of absolute commitment and ultimate surrender. It is more than trust for physical deliverance.

I trust in You, O Lord; I say You are my God.
My times are in your hands.
Whether those are joyfilled times or sad times
all of life’s circumstances are under God’s control.
Therefore I will trust you.

Greed, drunk driving and terrorism are all sinful behaviors which bring suffering on ourselves and on others, but what about hurricanes, earthquakes and most wild forest fires.

First let me be very clear. We must guard against the temptation to think we can precisely identify what God is doing in every event in history. Christians MUST stop pontificating on everything that is reported in the evening news. We must NEVER proclaim that earthquakes are God’s judgment against a certain people or that a certain disease is God’s judgment against a certain life style. Earthquakes and hurricanes are no more God’s judgment than favorable economic reports are signs of God’s favor.

We may not be able to determine the significance of each one. God has not stepped off His throne. God is constantly active in the events of our lives and in the history of humanity.

As long as we live we will be vulnerable to the possibility of suffering because of our sins or someone else’s sin and we will be vulnerable to the violent storms of a fallen world, BUT that doesn’t change the nature of God. The God that David knew was a refuge and a fortress. It is the same God you and I can experience.

Like David we need to say from our heart,

I trust in You, O Lord;
I say You are my God.
My times are in your hands.
Into your hands I commit my spirit