determined

I've been thinking a lot about "theodicy"--trying to sort through bad things happening to people (God's people). Does God cause it? Why does God allow it?

I'm reading through the Bible in a year, and I decided to do it historically this year rather than the order books are in the Bible. So I just finished Genesis, and the next book is Job. And I thought "Gee great. This is going to be SO ENCOURAGING. Just what I need." {that's dripping in sarcasm}

But fortunately, my dad just sent me his NIV study Bible to use, and I decided to read through the intro for background on the book. Wow. Studying the Bible is so much different than reading it. SO MUCH DIFFERENT. Job's friends believed he was being punished by God. We all sin. God is perfect. Therefore, bad things=God's judgment.

But his friends forgot that there's a third party that butts its way into God's ordained and designed God-man relationship--His pinnacle of creation. Satan (the accuser) enters into the scene. Since he knows he can't beat God in the end he tries his damnedest to separate man from God and God from man. He tempts and he accuses. He tries his hardest to drive an irremovable wedge between that sacred relationship we have with our Creator Father. That's the only way he can see to win. Unfortunately, it works at times.

I've been overwhelmed with two horrific stories this past week of fallen humanity and that wedge that Satan can drive between God and man. Even men who profess to love God.

God, let it not be so with me.

We need to stick with God in that divine relationship he designed. Christ in me, the hope of glory. Glory is the manifestation of all of God's excellencies.

Christ in me, my hope to manifest the amazing qualities of God. As he designed me to do. Created in His image. Empowered by Christ's work and the Holy Spirit inside of me.