Does God Really Care?

Does God really care?

There are 2 stories in the bible that illustrate something that is so true about us in our Christian walk.  I like the disciples and the Israelites because they are so much like us.  We are so similar, there are instances in our modern lives that can be compared to those of the Israelites and the disciples; and we will go into them in a moment.  We all go through some times when we actually if God really cares about us and loves us, and all these feelings and questions come when we go through some very hard situations. Our Christian walk is filled with quandaries.  God knows this about us human beings. In exodus 13, the bible says that “God did not lead them along the main road that runs through the Philistines territory, even though it was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said: if the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt”   If we were to carefully listen to all the questions that we ask ourselves about God when we are facing battles or challenges, we will find that the big questions is; “Does He (God) really care?” even though we do not utter these words exactly.

So the Israelites have left Egypt and in the wilderness they take a detour towards the Red Sea as commanded by God through Moses.  As they camp near the shore of the Red sea, Pharaoh changes his mind and gets on his way to bring back the Israelites back into slavery in Egypt.  Now I can imagine how happy the Israelites must have been when they left Egypt, thanking the Most High God and praising him for all the wonderful works that they witnessed him do in Egypt.  The bible tells me that they left with silver and gold, so they must have been very excited that the Lord had finally come through for them as promised.  In the midst of their happiness and celebration, an unexpected dodge ball comes their way and they now starting asking themselves that question; “does God really care”.  The Egyptians approached them, they totally forgot about the power that God displayed in Egypt and start asking the hard questions of doubt and fear: “Why did you bring us out here to die? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you that this was going to happen?   These questions make me think.  Were they just waiting for God to slip and then tell Him how they really feel about his not-so-good idea of bringing them out of Egypt?  I can imagine some of them even saying: well “God”, thanks but no thanks, I’m going back to Egypt, at least there I will be alive!  Let’s bring this to our context and point out some of the questions that we ask in our modern world.  Why did you take my father/ away just when I gave my life to you? Why was I raped just when I had become saved? Didn’t you promise that things will be better if I gave my life to you? Where is the freedom that you promised?  Why? Why? Why? As we wet our pillows with tears that we just cannot seem to stop.

Maybe you are asking the question, well … does He … does He really care about us?  Let us go further into the story.  So Moses’ response to the questions is a brave risk that fully relies on the Lord himself.  He says: “don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today.  The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again, the Lord will fight for you. Just stay calm” I will be honest with you, if I was in that crowd of Israelites, I certainly would have liked hearing that.  I mean, how I am I supposed to “stay calm” when I am staring right in the face of death and there seems to be no aid nearby. Then one of the biggest miracles ever recorded in the bible happens, the red sea is parted and the Israelites cross on dry ground.  The Egyptian army was drowned in the sea and the Israelites were saved! The bible then says that after they witnessed this miracle, “… they were filled with awe before God and put their faith in him and his servant Moses.” The answer that Moses gave sounds more like the one we get from fellow brothers and sisters when they say; “everything will be fine you will see” and I know that most of the time our response to that is, when? How? But the Lord takes care of his sheep no matter what happens! There is no record of them coming before God with a prayers like; Lord I am so sorry for doubting you when you gave so many reasons to trust you.  Instead, the next chapter (15) begins with them singing a song of deliverance to the Lord.  3 days later, they complained and asked the same question again; “does God really care about us” when there was no water to drink.  And the Israelites journey to the Promised Land is filled with quandaries and these kinds of stories.  They complain, forget about all the good that God has done and when he comes through for them; they just carry on like nothing happened.  I know that the road we travel is not easy, but what good is our faith if we will never get to use it?  What good is our faith when we will only remember that we have it when life is good? What good is our faith when we forget who God is in our battles/travailing/hardships, struggles/ or whatever you would like to call it?

In the questions that the Israelites asked Moses, there was always a Why?  I reckon that most of the questions that start with “why” are often quite hard to answer satisfactorily. I heard someone say something powerful earlier this year just after I had learned that my best friend’s father had passed away. Honestly, I was asking myself (and God) why? And I suspect that is what my friend and his entire family were asking themselves too. A friend of mine said to me; “the question that we should be asking is: what now Lord?”  I tell you this really opened my eyes to a loving Shepard who dearly loves his sheep and will do anything in His Mighty Power to take care of it.  May you live with the conviction that God is not working against you, but for your good.  And though we do not understand how he is glorified when we are in pain, I will still worship, praise and serve him even in my struggles that seem “unfair” because I am assured that he really cares for me.  If God did not care about us, he wouldn’t have gone through the cross for us. Remember what Jesus said: “… in this world you will have many troubles and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living, the world owes you nothing; it was here first.”  Mark Twain.

God bless ya stax, and watch out for the next story on the same topic that focuses on the Disciples.