Evil Doesn’t Come From God

Jeremiah 1; Jeremiah 2; John 10
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Scripture

John 10

10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (NLT)

10 A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (Msg)

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV)

Observation

Last night Kathy and I listened to the interview that Larry King had with Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. It was an incredible testimony of their faith in our Heavenly Father. They talked about the tragic death of their 5-year-old daughter Maria Sue, who died after her 17- year-old brother Will accidentally backed over her in the family's driveway. You can read the entire interview by clicking here.

Here is part of the interview where a listener has asked a question about how a God that is Good could let this happen and I think it is a great answer:

KING: "a lot of people might ask how a good and loving god could allow the kind of pain your family is enduring. How would you respond?" Steven, why would he allow it?

S. CHAPMAN: That's a great, great question and one that we have all wrestled with, and I've absolutely wrestled with. By saying I haven't been angry at god, I've been real angry. My anger has really been aimed at the one who I understand has -- the Bible says has comes to steal, kill and destroy, the enemy of god, Satan. But if you've ever read the book of Job, you know that somehow god allows things. I believe god allows evil. He doesn't crush everything that's evil, or who of us could stand before him, if we've ever had any evil in our life.

KING: But this wasn't evil?

S. CHAPMAN: Well, but what happened was -- what happened to my daughter, I believe, was evil, that she died in the driveway of my house. But my anger has been aimed at the one who I believe ultimately destroys and kills, the enemy of god. Why did god allow it? I believe god was there. I believe god had tears in his eyes. I believe god weeps over -- over death. Jesus wept at the grave the Lazarus. In the Bible, Jesus weeps at death.

You might be going through something right now, maybe it is an illness, or a tragic death of a loved one, or maybe you have received some bad news about your health or the health of a loved one and I think these are great words to remember. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He takes care of His Sheep. Yes, sometimes God allows evil to touch our lives, but it does not come from Him. It comes from the evil one, the murderer, and the destroyer and not from God.

Application

I will use this passage to comfort someone that is going through a difficult time.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I pray for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. I thank you for allowing me to hear the interview last night. What a strong witness for you. I pray that you bless them. Use them to comfort and strengthen others that are going through difficult circumstances. Thank you for allowing me to be one of your sheep and thank you for the abundant life that I am experiencing. I don’t deserve it, but thank you for saving me. I again ask you to heal those that I am praying for that are sick and I pray for those that I know that have just received difficult news about their health. I pray that they will turn to you for strength in this time of need. And I pray for a marriage that needs a miracle. I pray that you bring this couple back together even though it looks impossible. In Jesus Name Amen.

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