1 Kings 9
After responding to Solomon's dedication of the temple with a promise, the Lord warns Solomon, all of Israel, and all believers that we must stay close to Him.
People, including myself, often ask, why do bad things happen to good people. There is no easy or right answer here because only God knows and although we can understand attributes of God, we are not God and He will always remain a mystery to us in terms of our ability to fully comprehend who He is - see also Isaiah 55:8.
What we do know is that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8).
None of us can claim that we are righteous enough to avoid difficult circumstances (John 16:33).
God may allow bad things to happen to good people because He wants others to see the power of faith for those who believe. See also this commentary on the story of Job.
One thing we can appreciate is that with Jesus, although we may from time to time wander from Him, He will always be there for us with welcoming arms. He wants us to repent from our sins and to return to Him. God does not want anything to separate us from His love.
See also Luke 15, which contains, the parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son.
And we also have God's promise: He will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 28:20).
God is great.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is full of love and compassion for me. You are always there for me when I fall down, ready to welcome me back to Your loving arms. Thank You Jesus! I am not worth such love. I worry. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.’” v9
After responding to Solomon's dedication of the temple with a promise, the Lord warns Solomon, all of Israel, and all believers that we must stay close to Him.
People, including myself, often ask, why do bad things happen to good people. There is no easy or right answer here because only God knows and although we can understand attributes of God, we are not God and He will always remain a mystery to us in terms of our ability to fully comprehend who He is - see also Isaiah 55:8.
What we do know is that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8).
None of us can claim that we are righteous enough to avoid difficult circumstances (John 16:33).
God may allow bad things to happen to good people because He wants others to see the power of faith for those who believe. See also this commentary on the story of Job.
One thing we can appreciate is that with Jesus, although we may from time to time wander from Him, He will always be there for us with welcoming arms. He wants us to repent from our sins and to return to Him. God does not want anything to separate us from His love.
See also Luke 15, which contains, the parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son.
And we also have God's promise: He will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 28:20).
God is great.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is full of love and compassion for me. You are always there for me when I fall down, ready to welcome me back to Your loving arms. Thank You Jesus! I am not worth such love. I worry. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
