For thought and meditation

[rl69]

Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."—John 11:21–22 (http://harvest.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4f108f827aed8d503b5fca9fa&id=817e6a0f90&e=3dd732485b)"Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." Loosely paraphrased, Martha was saying, "Lord, You blew it."

Jesus loved her brother, Lazarus. But when Martha and Mary sent word to Him that Lazarus was sick, He waited. In fact, He waited a long time. He waited so long that Lazarus wasn't just sick, he was dead. And he had been dead for four days. Martha wasn't happy about it.

Have you ever felt that way? Something happened, and you said, "God, where were You?" Where were You when this marriage dissolved? . . . Where were You when my parents divorced? . . . Where were You when my child went astray? . . . Where were You when my loved one died?

But notice that Jesus did not reprove Martha for what she said. He could have. In some ways, it seems like He should have. But I think the reason He didn't was because it isn't sinful to tell God how you feel. That is all Martha was doing. She was just being honest with God.

Even our Lord, when He hung on the cross and was bearing the sins of the world, cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46). That could sound accusatory, but Jesus was simply describing the reality of the situation. He was crying out to God.

When something difficult happens, we can withdraw from God and from others. We can get mad at God and at God's people. But we need God, and we need His people.

Just talk to God. Tell Him how you're really feeling. If you're hurting, tell Him you're hurting. If you're in pain, tell Him you're in pain. If you're happy, tell Him you're happy. Be honest with God

[Boaz]

This is true . Talk to him daily ....just talk to him .
Thank you rl69.

[buckwheatpaul]

Talking with God, via prayers, keeps us connected to God and we must remember that we want everything at our pace and not His. I cant tell you how many times I have questioned what appeared to be His lack of help .... only to have it revealed to me down the road.....we have our own self-serving agenda and God has our best interest at heart and works at His pace......Paul

[Pine Baron]

Thank you rl. Sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees.

[Preacher Jim]

excellent thoughts RL

[Blackwater]

Wow! You've really outdone yourself, today, RL. Thanks. Just superb! Real Christians don't every doubt God, but it's easy to not understand Him sometimes. Many have the idea in them that God is the big sugar daddy in the sky that blesses the faithful, and punishes the profane, but it's never like that. Sometimes the righteous suffer, so that they might learn, and I believe sometimes the profane are blessed, possibly so they might have the right mind and circumstances so they CAN come to belief, if only we Christians follow the advice He gave us. It's always more complex and deeper than our more worldly understanding runs. And it's all to achieve His ends, which is simply that all might have the best opportunity they'll allow, to come to faith. Is our God a wonderful and loving God, or what? Even in our sins, he loves us all!