Random thoughts

This morning my thoughts wander a bit.  I'm thinking and praying for the hurricane victims in Houston and south Texas.  I'm thinking of a world filled with tension, strife and anger.  My mind wanders to those who have lost loved ones.  And then I think of the millions who suffer daily from hunger, lack of housing, who are hurting physically...the list could go on for pages.....

This is a sad world full of sin, sickness and death.  There are moments to celebrate, but for the most part this is a hard place to live.  No one gets out alive!  So how could we believe in a good God with a world like this?  How could anyone think he loves us as we look around?

That's a question that haunts us as we see the world and its residents suffer and die.  Where's God in all of this?  Where is this great God who says he loves us?

For me those hard questions are answered in one person- Jesus.  He was and is God and came into our world to not only show us God's love, but to provide the final solution to the problems we see.  No, he didn't eliminate them all just yet, but that is coming and it was made possible because he came to planet earth and lived out the plan of God.

In him the love of God had full flow to a world needing it.  I think of the the leper who came to him on day in violation of the law and falling down in front of him said, "if you are willing  you can make me clean."  In response God (I'm speaking of Jesus here, but want you to get the impact of this) reached out his hand and touched this man full of leperousy!  God not only healed his body, but extended the ultimate demonstration of love in touching him when he was at his worse, most deplorable, most rejected and said with that touch, "I love you!"

He is still doing that today.  He never forces it upon us, but for anyone who comes to him and says, "if you are willing...." he responds.  He always has.  He always will.

It seems that the world is growing darker, moment by moment. The sun is setting on this planet and our time here is short.  As the darkness grows the love of God becomes even brighter, even more visible to a world asking, "where is God?"

And he replies,  "I'm here and I love you.  Will you trust me?"