Alvin Daily: How can God allow such things?

"64 persons die in air crash" "Another earthquake: 1200 dead and 6000 wounded" "7 killed in mine accident." "Insane man attacks school children with flame thrower: 10 children killed; other seriously injured."

Whenever news like this is announced in the press or on television, we hear these questions asked all around us, "And what about God? Where is he? Why does he allow all this without doing something about it? Isn't he all-powerful? Is he there at all?"

How can God allow such things?

Well, it's quite a question! If we intend to bring an accusation against God, we are being fools. Just imagine the following scene: It takes place in a courtroom. There am I, the man who is so offended and saddened by all the suffering in the world. And I am sitting on the magistrate's bench. Seated in the dock is....God! And then from the height of my magistrate's bench, I begin prosecuting God. "Accused, stand up! How could you have allowed such thing to happen?"

There's no way that could happen! There's no way that God could go into the dock and be judged by us. It would make him a pitidul, ridiculous, weak figure. He would not be God at all. The point is this: If God is God, then he is holy. He is the living God. It is he who is the judge and we who are the accused.

I remember once going to a turbulent meeting in the troubled audience, he cried out, "Well, well, there's the preacher! Come on up here!" When I went up, he said, "You think there is a God, don't you? Well if he does exist, I suppose I shall meet him after my death...." I nodded assent.

He continued, "I'm glad of that, because when I meet him I'm going to say this to him, "You knew that children were dying of hunger while others were stuffing themselves --- and you did nothing about it! You allowed wars to happen --- and innocent people suffered while those who were responsible for these killings made a fortune! You said nothing about all this distress --- nothing against all this injustice, oppression and exploitation! "Yes, I'll throw all that in your God's face. And do you know what I'll do then? I'll say to him, "Get out! Come down off your throne and beat it!"

He had succeeded in making me angry and I interrupted him "Fine! Me too! I'll yell with you, "Come down from your throne and beat it!" A deathly silence fell on the meeting. The speaker looked at me, stupefied. He looked as though the thought he had made a mistake and that perhaps I was not the pastor after all. When I saw the expression on the people's faces, I felt like laughing. And the atmosphere was no longer the same. It was the moment to speak and I must not miss it.

"Look here, a God who would allow himself to be insulted by you in such a way would be completely ridiculous. Let me tell you that such a God does not exist, except in your imagination. A God who could be called to account, a God who would stand before you as an accused before his judge --- oh no! such a God could exist only in a sick mind. And I can only say this, "Let's get rid of such a God. Let's put an end to him once and for all!"

"But you are a minister, aren't you?" he stammered in surprise. "Certainly! And that's why I would like to say this." I raised my voice so that everyone could hear me. "I would like to testify before you all that there is another God, the true God. You will not be able to call him to account. On the contrary, it is he who will summon you to appear before his court of justice. When that time comes, you wiill keep your mouths shut. There isn't a God you can say "Beat it" to. But there is a holy, living, true God. And this God may very well say to you one day, "Get behind me! Get out!"