Context & Priorities

Q: How do we address Romans 1:24 while still being a loving, accepting Christian community?

When contemplating how I was going to respond to this, I wanted to make sure that I was able to teach in the midst of giving a source of reflection. Scripture is a struggle sometimes, as we search for meaning and application to our own lives and situations. I don’t feel that any one verse in any book of scripture is meant to stand alone. Indexing and versing is only a convenient means that we use to find our place. Therefore, I took the verse before the verse in question and the verse after and compared three different translations. Here they are: (I put verse 24 in italics so that it would be identifiable.)

Romans 1:22-25 (KJV)

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Romans 1:22-25 (NRSV)

Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Romans 1:22-25 (The Message)

They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. So God said, in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.” It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!

If you isolate verse 24, I can instantly see why one would consider it to be problematic. Especially in the King James version. Read by itself, it seems that God has given up on those who lust in uncleanness and dishonor their bodies. It’s pretty condemning to those who may not fit conveniently in a conservative biological anatomical description, specifically our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. Which may be the underlying reason for this question in the first place. 

Put into context, one can see that the Romans passage referenced is not necessarily about lust and sex at all. In context, the passage seems to address the larger issue of right relationship with God. We must understand that God is always more about how we live in relationship and less about how our biological parts fit together. The people of Rome were being exhorted by the Apostle Paul for failing to get their priorities right. They were not putting the ONE true living God first.

We should remember that Christianity, at the time of the letter to the Romans, was a new way and most of the Romans that Paul was writing to were once pagan and followed many gods, usually formed in some likeness of an animal or humanoid figure. These "fake" gods were often associated with public orgy festivals, and other acts of debauchery. If the people of Rome were now professing to believe and follow the ONE true God of Israel in the way of Jesus, then those other “fake” gods needed to be given up, as well as the practices that are degrading to good healthy relationships.

The correct priority would be to honor and acknowledge the way of Jesus Christ that Paul is trying to teach. Those who “profess to be wise” or “know it all” will often end up thinking that they have it all figured out by themselves and can save themselves. They think that there is no need for Jesus, let alone church, spiritual development, Christian education, sacraments, etc… Unfortunately, even today society is full of those who “profess to be wise” and therefore don’t need Jesus. If we choose to live in our "filth" and not put God before "fake idols," then God will surely let us.

God commands us to love one another, and to love God. However, God never forces us to love. We will always have free-will to do as we please. But when we do as we please, we end up acting like the “know it all” and straying from the ways of Christ and following too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. If we turned away from God, it's guaranteed that we are going to mess it up, and God’s not going to keep us from messing it up. We make other things in our life idols and end up worshiping them, because we pay attention to them more than we are nurturing our relationship with God.

To me, Romans 1:24 does not get in the way of being a loving, accepting Christian community. It does call us into making sure that we continue to put God first and not rely on ourselves or replace God with a fake. 

Significant Saints

Q: Which saint hold special significance for you, Father Ken and why?

I had to think about this one for a while. I would like to think that all “saints” have a special significance for me because they show us how they kept the faith through the trials and tribulations of their own life. I heard one of my mentors one time say that the reason that they depict saints on the stained glass windows is because they let the light shine through. I’ve also heard saints referred to as keyholes through which we may view the Christian life. I guess those statements and images have always resonated with me.

If I had to pick one, it would be extremely difficult. Because I am drawn to the English mystics overall, I guess I would choose Julian of Norwich. Dame Julian had a very simple way of expressing the majesty and power of God, making it relational and very accessible. Her writings, composed in a work called “Showings” or “Revelations of Divine Love” tell of a time when she was very sick, near death. In the midst of this sickness, she says that she had an encounter with Jesus who revealed to her that she would be ok, that her sickness experienced through the lens of Jesus suffering and the evils of this world were all relative to human understanding.

Julian had a way of expressing God that was different and non-traditional. She took the relational aspects of God to another extreme. God was both father and mother and Jesus was nurturer (often a descriptive reserved for women). Julian often used feminine language to describe the divine. In her time, late 14th century, this was just not done.

I think that I am attracted to Julian for other reasons, too. One is the fact that she could be such an influential figure and introduce us to ways of thinking about God and yet, we’re not even sure that Julian is her real name. Not uncommon for a woman in that age to be “unknown” or not given credit. It was considered unimportant.

All we know (and assume) is that the anchoress at the cathedral of St. Julian in Norwich wrote a work that included sixteen mystical visions and contemplation on universal love and hope. This was all done in a time when England faced the plague, religious reforms, and war. Her work was published in 1395, and it is the first published book in the English language to be written by a woman.

2 of my favorite quotes from Julian of Norwich:

“God, of your goodness, give me yourself; you are enough for me, and anything less that I could ask for would not do you full honor. And if I ask anything that is less, I shall always lack something, but in you alone I have everything'.” ― Julian of Norwich

“And in this he showed me a little thing, the quantity of a hazel nut, lying in the palm of my hand, as it seemed. And it was as round as any ball. I looked upon it with the eye of my understanding, and thought, ‘What may this be?’ And it was answered generally thus, ‘It is all that is made.’ I marveled how it might last, for I thought it might suddenly have fallen to nothing for littleness. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasts and ever shall, for God loves it. And so have all things their beginning by the love of God. In this little thing I saw three properties. The first is that God made it. The second that God loves it. And the third, that God keeps it.” ― Julian of Norwich

Sin and Forgiveness

Q: Does Jesus reward all who repent? No matter the sin or crime?

I am glad you phrased the question this way. You could have asked about “all who ask forgiveness” which is totally different than being penitent or repenting. The word “repent” implies a change or a ‘turning around’ and going in another direction. In scripture, the Greek word μετάνοια (metanoia) is often translated as repentance.  This kind of change is not about regret, guilt or shame; it is a true change of heart. It implies making a conscious decision to turn around, to face a new direction.

It’s also interesting that you said “reward” rather than “forgive.” I feel that the reward to those who repent is restoration. Those who change their heart and turn back to God (repent), rather than away from God are restored to right relationship with God. They pursue a new path of love and community rather than a path of destruction and division.

I would say that repentance also implies making amends or “paying penance.” To me, just because you repent of the sin or crime and start leading a new life doesn’t mean that you get to erase the past. I don’t feel that it works that way. The path to restoration is sometimes a difficult one. It requires intentional hard work and struggle every day to live with a penitent heart.

In scripture, we are assured that those who turn to Jesus are dead in their wrongdoings (Ephesians 2:4-10). We are a “new creation” in Christ… part of the new order in the restoration of the world (2 Corinthians 5:17). The pathway to connection with God is never closed for those that desire it. So, I would say that the only thing that would keep anyone from that relationship is the outright rejection of God.

So, it is my opinion that yes, Jesus rewards and restores to right relationship (with God) those who turn their heart and change their ways, no matter the sin or crime. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t require some amends to others or society for the wrongs they have done.

Easter or Resurrection Day

Q: The traditional churches call the day Christ arose Easter, but the new generation churches call it resurrection day. They claim that Easter is a pagan celebration and should not be associated with Christ. How do you respond?

I searched and searched, but I'm still not sure what a "new generation" church is compared to a "traditional" church. I am assuming that your questions comes from a specific experience with a "new generation" church. If you would contact me, I would love to know if there is a specific situation to which you are referring. I would imagine that the "new generation" church, with its insistence of being called "resurrection day" is trying to get to the root of the practice and weed out a bit of the historical adaptation. With that, I wonder what the "new generation" churches do with other adaptations of pagan celebrations?

I'm not sure of the differences in practice between "traditional" and "new generation" churches, but some of the elements of this question are interesting. The Venerable Bede, a late-seventh-century English historian and scholar from Anglo-Saxon England, says that the name Easter comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre (pagan), associated with spring and fertility, that it is celebrated around the vernal equinox. In our christianization of a pagan calendar, we adopted the Germanic/Anglo name Eostre, and called the celebration of Jesus' resurrection Easter. There is a great article HERE that explores the topic of Eostre and Easter. Note of interest: A couple other adaptations of "pagan" holiday celebrations can be found in the festivals of Saturnalia (Christmas) and Samhain (All Hallows Eve / All Saints' Day).

I think it may be splitting hairs to insist it be called one thing over another. To the Christian, whether we call refer to it as "Easter" or "Resurrection Day" it is the same thing - the day we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead. Those who keep a celebration of the life of Christ in a calendar year (liturgical church traditions like the Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, & Lutherans) celebrate Easter or the Season of Resurrection as a season for 50 whole days!

Membership

Q: Why do some Episcopal churches ask you to write to your prior church to have your membership moved and others (like Trinity) do not?

I think there may be some confusion here. If you consider Trinity your home, and you are engaging the gathered community here at Trinity to help you with your spiritual needs, and you consider yourself a member of Trinity Church, then please, write your prior church and have the record of your baptism and confirmation moved to Trinity Church. You can use the form HERE.

Baptism makes you a member. If you are baptized (by water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) then you are a "member" of the Christian church, regardless of where (or how) you were baptized. Trinity, however, should have a record of that baptism.

Information on Baptism and Confirmation can be located on our website. (click links)

If you need help with any of these, please contact me or the church office. It would be an honor to add you to Trinity's membership roll.

Resurrection & Following Jesus

Q: Is it not more important to believe in the teaching of Jesus than that he is the son of God and rose from the dead?

If Jesus was not the son of God and if he did not rise from the dead, then why believe what he taught is any different or better than anything others taught? I hate to sound sarcastic here, but there were many great teachers in history. Gandhi, Mohammad, Gautama Buddha, Socrates, Plato, Confucius, etc... (the list goes on and on) they were all teachers of solid core foundational values. What is it that makes Jesus different?

Jesus is different because he offered a way to be in relationship in this world through his teaching. He offered a relational connection to God the creator that wasn't legalistic or prescriptive. By rising from the grave, he taught that life with our creator is eternal for those that are in that relationship. It gives the believer hope that there is something better for those that strive for righteousness and justice in the world.

So, for me they go hand in hand. If you believe in Jesus' teaching, and want them to make a difference in your relationship to God and all of creation then I would think that you would need to believe that Jesus was the Son of God (the incarnation of God = Jesus is God) and that he rose from the dead. Without a belief in the incarnation and the resurrection, I feel that Jesus is just another great teacher.

Calling the Disciples

Q: How long did it take for Jesus to assemble the disciples? Do we have any idea?

All we know about Jesus calling the disciples is what's found in scripture. (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:4-11; and John 1:29-2:2). Reading the accounts individually can be very confusing... reading them together helps us get the whole picture and start to piece together the whole story.

I would gauge the timing as in the first part of the three years Jesus was preaching and teaching. I don't feel that Jesus selected his closest followers randomly in a hurried and instantaneous manner, therefore it took a while to assemble the twelve. I have no idea how long. It might be an excellent study to outline the passages that I referenced above and see if you can put together the pieces.

Living Christ's Message

Q: Why don't more people - me included - live Christ's message on days other than Sunday?

Incredible question that needs to be continually asked by every one of the followers of Jesus! I have this incredible feeling that society thinks it doesn't need Christ's message at all, let alone on just on Sunday...  They think that they can somehow save themselves all by themselves. I would say, for lack of a better term or nicer way to put it, that those who live Christ's message ONLY on Sunday are being hypocritical the rest of the week (or not even living Christ's message at all). If we are going to be Christian, then we don't get to pick and choose which days we can be Christian.

If this question is about going or not going to Church, I feel, and will be quick to say, that going to church DOES NOT make you a Christian. (just like being in a garage doesn't make you a car!) Church, for the christian is more of a "training facility" or a "fuel stop" than it is a "place to be a Christian." (like the garage - it's a place to be worked on, fueled up, lifted up, and tuned! And like a garage, it's sometimes messy work! - ok, that's enough of the car analogy) That doesn't mean that we don't have to go to church, on the contrary. We go to church to learn and worship - it is that "fuel stop" that feeds us and that "training facility" that empowers us to get through the rest of life during the week. I helps us deal with the evils of the world, and gives us strength through relationships with other believers.

There is an incredible struggle these days between a society that teaches self sufficiency and salvation through "doing good" and Christ's actual message of truth, equity, justice, and relationship that can be lived out in the world that ultimately teaches a connection to God. The difference is relationship.

As Christians, we should be living our life day to day in relationship to God (through Jesus). It is the source and reason we are in love and charity with our neighbors. It is not the society influencing us, it is us who should be influencing society by the way we live. To me, that's what living Christ's message is about. We also need to remember that society won't always "like" or "accept" the way that we are living. (It even got Jesus nailed to a cross!) 

I feel that Jesus came that we might be learn how to be together in relationship in order to bring forth the Kingdom of God. Living a life (every day) through Jesus... his life, his teaching, and his actions...  all viewed through the lens of his death and resurrection. It's not easy, but for the believer, it becomes the connection to God that the world needs for the Kingdom of God to come. 

From the old camp song that is Based on John 13:35

(I believe the music and lyrics were originally written by Peter Schools)

1. We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.

Refrain
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

2. We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.

3. We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.

4. All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus, his only Son,
And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one.

Recognizing Jesus after the Resurrection

Q: In some of the resurrection stories, the disciples do not recognize Jesus. How could that be?

Q: Why didn't the disciples recognize Jesus after the resurrection?

The two questions that were submitted are almost the same. Therefore, I decided to address the two in the same post. Scripture doesn't tell us why it the disciples didn't recognize Jesus after the resurrection. Therefore, I will try to explain how I understand it. Hopefully, this will help you discern an understanding for yourself.

First, people did not expect the dead to rise again. Therefore, regardless of how much Jesus told them that "the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again" (Luke 18:33, 24:7, 24:46, Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:34) they didn't understand. They continued not to understand until they were reminded. Therefore, it's hard to recognize what we don't expect.

The way I understand resurrection is that it is "life after life after death." More Here (good article on the resurrection!) To me, this means that resurrection life is a different state of being. I would expect the appearance of the resurrected Christ to be different - and unexpected by his followers. However, regardless of how he looks (whether he looks like Jesus or not), the disciples know it is him. 

In the Gospel according to John, Mary encounters the risen Christ in the garden and thinks he is the gardener. (John 20:15) Obviously upset because she thinks that someone has stolen the body of Jesus, she must have been crying. Have you ever seen any thing clearly when you've been crying? Not expecting Jesus to have been raised from the dead, she didn't recognize Jesus until he called her by name.

Again, in the Gospel according to John, the disciples are 100 yards off the shore in a boat and the risen Christ calls out to them to cast their net on the other side. (John 21) It was day break and 100 yards would cause some confusion. We must also understand that the disciples didn't expect to see Jesus again. However, in an act of the miraculous catch of fish that was experienced before (Matt 4, Mark 1, Luke 5), they recognize that it is Jesus. Evidently the resurrected Jesus doesn't look the same, but they somehow know it's him.

I feel that we are continuously called to "look for" the risen Christ in this world. If we do, Jesus shows up in many unexpected places and at the most unexpected times. We should become sensitive to the fact that Jesus will not appear as we expect... We may see the risen Christ in the face of the stranger, the other, those extremely different from us, those who we may not like very much, those who are in need, etc... In the Rule of St. Benedict, it says, "All who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ." (Benedict's Rule Chapter 53) I think that this rule leaves room for the fact that the risen Christ may show himself in the lives of others. We should never expect the risen Christ to look like the Jesus we would expect.

Church and Priorities

Q: Why do people not put church as a priority in their life?

Different people have different reasons for not wanting to engage in church or public worship. However, I haven't heard a good one yet. It's sort of like the excuses that one gives for not having their homework - "We had a ___ game to go to (or a camping trip or sleep over or ... whatever) on Sunday" or "We just couldn't get it together" or my favorite "It's my only day to sleep in" or even better yet "the kids didn't think it was fun" or "I don't get anything out of it." 

Attendance at public worship (or lack thereof) says something about the person and what kind of relationship they are trying to nurture with God. We prioritize activities based on what we think is important. If an individual's relationship with God is unimportant, then it becomes 2nd, 3rd, or even last on the list. This is very sad because it's the people like this that wonder why God is so "absent" after they have done nothing to nurture or build a relationship with God. 

Relationship is a two-fold thing. It requires engagement and interaction by all parties. I often tell people that you only get out of church (or relationship) what you are willing to put into it. If you are not engaged or don't participate in what the church community works so hard to offer, then you don't reap the full benefits of church.

I recently had a conversation with a woman who has come back to church after being away for many years. She attends nearly every Sunday and is engaged in activities. I want to share what she told me that will probably help those who are struggling with priorities. She said, "I never realized the depth of real love and understanding that comes from belonging to a church. I understand more about how we worship more than I did when I came only 2 or 3 times a year. I never realized or understood that going through Lent would make Easter mean that much more to me - and it did! The more I learn, the more I want to learn."

For me, that sums it up. That is why I am personally engaged. That's why I make it a priority. When I am in worship or in community at Church, as messy and stressful as it can be sometimes, I always feel a depth of love and peace. It is a place of activity and learning... it is a place of engagement and relationship... It's not perfect, it's a messy safe place to work things out.

Jesus says love God and love your neighbor. To me, my relationship with God is the first thing on my list. That is what I work on when I go to church and worship. It sets the tone of how I work on my relationship with my neighbor. If the relationship with God is missing, then the rest of the system will be, and usually is, out of sorts.

Note: It usually takes a few several hours to prepare just one hour of worship, it's not instant, nor does it happen spontaneously. It is a shame that many people don't think that their relationship with God is important enough to make it a priority and engage enough to completely enjoy the benefits.

Trusting in God

Q: How do you fully trust in God and His plan for your life (for others, the world, etc...)? This question assumes that there is a plan, so maybe I should open it: "How do you trust in God?" and "How do you be at peace?"

I'm going to admit that I'm unsure about a predestined "master plan" for the universe. Or, at least, one that I am aware of or if it is even promised in scripture. I'm not really a predestination theologian... The plan that I know of is one of relationship; God's relationship with us and the creation and our relationship with God and one another and all of creation. I understand God's plan for all things is to work in relationship. This can be found throughout scripture, as the accounts and stories reveal to us how people worked out their relationships with God and each other. We notice very quickly that life in biblical times was just as messed up as it is today as we struggle to live in relationship.

That's where the trust factor comes into the scene. In order to have relationship, we must trust - trust God, trust each other. This is an important thing, but it is not easy. Often, we need to take baby steps and get to know before we can fully trust, or rely on, or put faith in, etc... For instance, you don't get married on the first date. There needs to be a courtship, a getting to know you period in order to build the relationship. All parties must give the other party a chance. 

I personally feel that this is the same with our relationship with God. The worst thing that we can do is not work toward a relationship with God and expect it to be there when we need it. Relationships require ernest hard work. They require give and take and compromise. We need to work at having a relationship with God as much as, if not more than having a relationship with each other. These are the two most important things we could ever do in our life.

I feel, and have personally experienced that if I am in right relationship with God and each other, or if I am at least striving for it, that I am at peace. It's a release of thinking that I need to control every aspect of every situation. It is no longer a struggle to trying to make the square pegs fit into the round holes, but an acceptance of the round holes being there for the round pegs... but other people have the round pegs and in order for you to be complete, you need them.

Gestures for Prayer (Standing, Sitting, Kneeling)

Q: Why is it considered less joyous if we kneel during prayers and Eucharist? I find it easier to concentrate and be in the moment while kneeling.

I'm not sure it's considered less joyous, but each person experiences different things while praying using different postures. Over the years, the church has become less prescriptive about postures during the prayers. I even use the phrase (please stand, sit, or kneel as best helps you to pray). It is my intent to have you determine your own prayer posture so that you can concentrate and be "in the moment." 

That doesn't preclude us from learning that gestures and postures say different things. We all know about body language and how we can portray things to others by the way we stand or cross our arms or whatever. Prayer postures are much like that.

Kneeling is a sign of humility and reverence. I would say that kneeling is always a great posture for prayer. Sometimes it is uncomfortable. Especially if you have knee joint problems. Kneeling is often thought to be penitential or submissive. 

Standing is a sign of worth, dignity and respect. We are taught in our culture that we stand when someone important enters the room. Standing during prayer is often a sign of thankfulness and praise of Jesus who, through his death and resurrection, made us able and worthy to be reunited to God. Prayer B (starting on page 367 of the Book of Common Prayer) has the phrase "made us worthy to stand before you." It seems confusing to say that we lift our hearts up to the Lord as we are giving praise in celebration to fall on our knees... confusing, but sometimes appropriate during particularly penitential seasons like Lent. 

The Episcopal Church is full of gestures, as a kid we called them Episco-robics! Stand, Sit, Kneel, Stand, Kneel, Sit, Bow, Kneel, Stand, etc... Worship can be an incredible workout. I personally use these simple guidelines.

• Stand: to sing, proclaim, and pray during Easter (proclaim: such as reciting a creedal statement)
• Sit: to learn (during the lessons, readings, preaching, etc...)
• Kneel: to pray (especially in Lent) 

Fun fact to know and tell: The first council of Nicaea (from which we get the Nicene Creed) as early as 325 actually addressed standing during prayers at the liturgy, especially the consecration. This resulted in a church disciplinary canon. I don't think that anyone today will be arrested for kneeling during prayers at church. ;)

Sickness

Q: Why isn't God more helpful to those ill, sick, and infirm through medical research, etc...?

I spoke a bit about how I feel that God continually guides researchers and medical professionals in search of treatments for the sick in this post HERE. I don't want to shortcut how I address this question because I've dealt with the topic before. I feel that God is present within these situations and gives us comfort through the process of sickness or illness. 

God always seems to bring wholeness and sanctification from our troubles and experiences when we look to God for truth and understanding. I am reminded of Dame Julian of Norwich who experienced visions of Jesus passion and death during her sickness. Her extreme focus during the illness that almost killed her was the love that God had for her and all of creation and the love she had for God beyond anything else. After reading her record in Revelations of Divine Love, I believe that God used her bad situation for a greater purpose. Not that God caused the sickness, but that he used it to bring strength and connection in relationship in her time of trouble. Julian is regarded today as one of the great Christian mystics and theologians of her time.

We can learn much about dealing with our struggles with sickness and illness through the lives of the faithful that have gone before us. Some folks refer to them as saints, because for us they were great witnesses to the faith.

God's Absence

Q: Why is it that God seems to have abandoned my heart?

First of all, that is a pretty heavy question and I am sorry you feel that way. It's really difficult to address this in this forum. It would probably be much better in person. So, please don't hesitate to make an appointment with me.

If you are struggling or feeling an absence from God, you're not alone. It's a valid feeling. If you are struggling to find God in your life, and doing everything you can to connect and still feel the absence, you are not alone. Others have had similar feelings since the beginning of time. 

This is where the Bible comes in handy. It helps us realize that we are not alone in our struggles. Scripture is full of the faithful who are "seeking" God who seems absent or to have abandoned us. The Psalms are full of cries out for God in the midst of loneliness or despair. Look at just a couple: Psalm 42 and Psalm 22. Try praying them. Look through the Psalms and parallel your own personal feelings of God's absence, and then look around you again. Look for God to show up in the little things. It doesn't have to be a big display. Has God really abandoned you? 

God loves you! God is there. God sometimes shows up in the smile of a small child or a good friend or family member. Maybe the feelings of abandonment by God are really something else.

Suffering from Disease & Cancer

Q: Why must some suffer through disease or cancer to humble us before God?

I don’t feel that God causes suffering, therefore I don’t believe that God inflicts us with diseases or cancer for the purpose of humbling us. I don't blame God for diseases. We should always remember that we are biological creatures.

We are animals that are part of God's creation; part of the eco-system. As part of that system, we are susceptible to contaminates and viruses and sickness. I feel that most of these come from human neglect of being good stewards of the creation. So, I feel that humans are the source of our own suffering. For generations and generations we continue to destroy and take for granted everything in creation that we have been given by God. Disease is a horrible consequence of being a biological creature surviving in an environment that we have polluted and destroyed over generations. It's not  the fault of the person that has the disease.

On a positive note, in the modern era, God has given us so much through the advancement of science about diseases that have been around for years. God loves us and continues to guide skilled medical professionals and healers that work hard to combat disease and cancer through treatments and cures.  We need to pray for and support the researchers and medical professionals. I pray daily for those who are on prayer list because of sickness. I feel that God hears our prayers, and answers us in ways that we don’t always understand. The ultimate cure for disease and human suffering is in the escaton, when the heavens and the earth will be fully restored to perfection in God’s Kingdom - when pain and suffering will be no more.

As far as the humbling part… this makes God sound like a bully. I’m not sure how anyone could think that God acts like this. In the description, I can picture a schoolyard bully twisting another kids arm behind their back to make them get on their knees. That’s not how it works. 

Disease and cancer might cause us to acknowledge, connect or reconnect with God, especially if we have been absent from the relationship for a while, but I don't feel it's the reason for the sickness.