Lifeboat

Do you ever find yourself arguing with God?

But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, "Why have you made me like this?" - Romans 9:20

Is there any way of understanding what God's purpose is?  If God chooses to let evil or injustice survive in the world, is it our place to question Him?

We might want to say Yes.  Jesus spoke out against injustice and hypocrisy; shouldn't we?

Paul argues that God may have a purpose in leaving these things in the world, and he suggests that purpose is to show his mercy, but that may sound like we are being used or manipulated.

This is the God as potter view of the world, that God is the creator who molds and models us into what He wills.

I'm not sure I agree, so I guess I am arguing with Paul, if not with God.

The idea that God sets the stage in order that we, the actors, will go through the motions playing out His script, enduring all He has laid out for us gives me the creeps.

It's as though we have no say in our own lives, or worse, that we are pawns in a chess game.

I think Paul is right in one respect, that we really have no basis for our argument with God.  We don't know His purpose and so cannot assume to know what is just in His eyes and what is not, if justice is the goal.

Now does that mean whatever comes our way we should accept?

No.  I doubt anyone would stand for that.  So, we need to look elsewhere for an answer to the question, what is our purpose?

We may not be able to understand why there is evil in the world, but we know it is here and we have to deal with it.  So, that leads us to the next step, what do we do about it?

We may not be able to defeat it alone, but we can choose to help each other through it.

I believe that is our purpose, to love and support each other, so we all, or as many as possible, survive.

We are all passengers in the lifeboat, and though we come from different places and bring different abilities and knowledge to the fore, we can choose to come together and help each other, or we can float alone.

Now, that may not answer the question, and you may still want to argue with God, but I think the priority is to start rowing.

More to come...