Having the privilege of writing for the Lord means I am always on the lookout for good material which will inspire others. I can proudly give credit to Jesus for always giving me a word in season for the edification of His people, even those who have not yet surrendered to Him. I have been impressed over the last few weeks to write on matters that affect both the Church and those outside the Church, looking in. This is an excellent way to focus both on “outreach” and “in-reach”.
My observations of people outside the Church have led me to believe that the question I write about today is one that continues to plague them, often festering like a deadly wound that refuses to heal. They want to know how a loving God like Him who we profess could allow such suffering in the world today. While perusing the Internet, I came across a simple story that touched my heart, and in a little way, helped answer this question that admittedly, also plagued me at an earlier stage in my life. I have paraphrased below:
A devout Christian man visited his barber to get his scheduled trim. While going about the task, the two engaged in conversation and soon the conversation turned to matters of the heart. The barber did not believe in God and sure enough, before long, the age old question became the focus of the topic. “If God really exists, why does He allow so much pain and suffering?” The Christian man was stumped like many of us, and so the two men “agreed to disagree” on the topic of the existence of God, not wanting their religious convictions to hinder their friendship. The Christian man left the barber’s shop and stepped outside into the darkened street. In the faint glow of the street lamp, the first sight that greeted his eyes was the silhouette of a man. On closer inspection, he found him to be one of the many homeless people in the city. The man’s hair was long and unkempt, caked with dirt and matted against his scalp. His beard was grown out and his meager frame showed that he probably hadn’t eaten in days. After getting him some food, the Christian man walked back into the barber’s shop declaring vehemently to his friend, “Barbers don’t exist!” “Why do you say such a thing!” asked his friend, taken back in surprise. “You see that man over there with the long hair and untrimmed beard? How could barbers exist if we have people like that walking around?!” “It’s because he didn’t come to me”, replied the barber. “Well, replied the Christian man, we are left alone in our suffering because we refuse to run to God.”
Jesus has bid us in Matt 11v28: “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Will you answer His call today? TO BE CONTINUED!
