A Response

Author's note (05/01/07) The following post was initially a response to a comment left on my MSN Space. The person leaving the comment had been abusing my space by posting obscenities. I deleted the pure abuse, but when he finally got round to raising a valid point, I decide to be curteous. It seemed to pay off as their was a genuine dialogue that lasted for a couple of posts:

In response to:

"no offence but stop wastin ur life!! if god exists then howcum such bad things happen to gd ppl?? god dosent exist gt it through tht thik skull of urs!! my grandad died of cancer no matter how much prayer i went thru and church servises i went to. he died!! sure god exist. yeh and monkeys mite flie outa my butt!! jesus roks he was a rly old dood hoo live a mmillion yrs ago get the hell over it!:@:@"

Firstly, I want to make one thing very clear. Despite the fact you posted this in "Abusive Comments Part 2", I don't consider a large part of what you typed as offensive, the rest I believe comes from hurt. So, I'll treat it your post with respect and respond accordingly..

I naturally sympathise over your loss, but with all due respect, you need to get some perspective. You are not alone in knowing people who have suffered died from cancer. Several of my uncles and aunts have as well. Many years ago, I had an aunt, uncle and cousin who died in a car crash... leaving two cousins orphaned. This broke my grandparents hearts. My grandfather died of a heart attack that very year, and my grandmother was a shell of herself for the several years she lived on. My grandfather on my mother's side died before I was even conceived, I never knew him. I would encourage you to be grateful for what time you had with your grandfather, rather than be bitter over what you have lost.

People who have a belief only because they think it's some magic charm to protect them from life's trials need to grow up. As human beings living in a fallen world, we all suffer, that much is clear. In fact, if you have a faith in Christ Jesus, you are likely to come in for more. Jesus only promises to not let us be exposed to more than we can hack. He doesn't say you are immune to pain. Though he is a balm for suffering and the ULTIMATE cure for our fallen condition, he is not an inoculation against the circumstances of this world. How can Christians be a witness to those suffering, if they themselves have not suffered?

No, apart from our need for salvation, the other reason Jesus suffered, was so that he would be able to help us when we ourselves suffer. By his wounds we are healed!

We need to lean on Jesus all the time, not only to get us through the bad times, but also to acknowledge him in the good times.

I'm assuming your comment about Jesus was hyperbole, because as we know, he only lived two thousand of our Earth years ago. He also was NOT a "rly old dood". Most people believe he died around the age of 33. That's not old... at least i hope not, or I'm in BIG trouble LOL! No, Jesus died young... and that's how he remains. He was raised in a resurrection body (some people think that means scientifically changed at the atomic level). He does not age, and he is not on Earth anymore. so yup two millennia later he's still in his thirties. Lucky bloke... but then he is God! :-)

I'd like to challenge you to pray again, though hard it be. I'd also like to ask you something if you do. When you pray, do you just talk, or do you listen as well. I'd like to encourage you to take that path, because it makes a difference. I'd also encourage you to pray along with people who have experience. no, I don't mean people who read from a text book, I mean people who pray from the heart.

Finally, to those of us who do believe in Jesus, a warning:

"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

And:

"These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

If we seem to be having an easy ride, we should always be ready and prepared for God to use in difficult situations/circumstances.

We have been entrusted with much, lets not be lazy with it!

N