Absent From the Body … Part II

In the interval between death and the resurrection, there is a state of absence from the body, during which time the spirit and soul (considered as one for the purpose of this discourse) exist either in Heaven or Hell separated from the body. During this time your spirit will not be in a state of inactivity or sleep, but as Paul and John both found out, our spirit will be in Heaven enjoying the presence of the Lord.

I'm not too sure that the phrase we covered in Part I, "those that sleep in the Lord" is all that bad. The word sleep is applied only to the part of death concerning the body, and in the Scriptures it is used to intimate that death will not be final; that there will be an awaking out of this sleep … meaning the resurrection of the dead.

The term sleep is an expression that helps remove all that is dreadful about death, the idea of a calm repose after life, with a reference to an awaking and a future resurrection in a new glorified body when both body and soul will be united together again; after which there will be no more absence, neither from the body, nor from the Lord.

Remember what Jesus said about Lazarus in John 11:11 … "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."

There was a man in Luke 8:52, the ruler of the synagogue's house whose daughter was dead; but Jesus said … "Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth."

Paul states in 2nd Timothy 1:7 … "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Continuing in verse 10, Paul makes an interesting remark about what Jesus has already done when he says … " by the appearing (after His resurrection) of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light …"

This is why we shouldn't have a spirit of fear about death. Jesus has made it so certain that death will be abolished; that Paul speaks of what God intends to do as a thing that is already done. Jesus has brought life and immortality to light by appearing after His resurrection.

What if some say there is no resurrection? How do we answer them? The same way that Paul did in the 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians.

"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain …

For if the dead rise not, then Christ is not raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished …

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

Paul is saying that the last enemy, death will cease to reign. All believers raised up will live forever; and the effects of sin in this world, death, will come to an end. Mortality in the New Testament is never applied to anything but the natural body. The separate existence of the soul, as not dying with the body, is plainly taught in scripture.

Paul has been teaching that a grain of wheat must die and leave its outer shell behind before the seed can birth the new growth it was designed to become … so in like manner … we die and leave our natural body behind before we receive a new spiritual body.

1st Corinthians 15:42-44 … "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."

No one can doubt that there is a natural body, we all have one. So, Paul says with equal certainty … there is a spiritual body. It is just as certain and indisputable, not because the evidence of both is the same, but it is to be received by faith on the authority of Christ.

Jesus is quoting Moses in Matthew 22:31-32 …

"But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had been dead for a long time when God spoke this through Moses … Abraham for 329 years, Isaac for 224 years, and Jacob for 198 years; yet God said He was still their God. They must therefore, still be living somewhere because … "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

When Old Testament saints died, their souls went to what was called Abraham's bosom or Paradise. In Luke 16, Jesus spoke of the death of a beggar named Lazarus, and also of a rich man who died about the same time. With the fact that Jesus called the beggar by name proves this was not just another one of His parables. If people knew Lazarus, it is most probable that the rich man was also known in the community.

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he (the rich man) lifted up his eyes, being in torment and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me …"

Neither the beggar nor the rich man was asleep. Both of them were aware of their surroundings and could remember their past lives. I believe this also proves both spirit and soul leave the body at death and remain as one … the spirit, (the part that is eternal) and the soul, (the mind, memory and emotions) which the rich man is shown to still have.

Before Jesus died and abolished sin, believers went to Paradise because their sin was still there; it was just covered by the blood of animals. No sin can enter Heaven … therefore they had to wait before going to be with God until Jesus removed that sin. This is why Paul can now say … To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

1st John 3:2 … "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

John 14:1-3 … "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

Later Jesus was praying …

John 17:24 … "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am …"

And then we have the repentant thief on the cross …

Luke 23:42-43 … "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

The scripture is unclear, but I believe the thief made it to paradise that day. But before Jesus could go to paradise and join the thief, He first went into Hell (in our place) and took our rightful punishment because He was made sin for us; and then as He left the underworld, He took the keys of both Hell and death with Him.

Psalm 16:10 … "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One (Jesus) to see corruption."

The word soul, Hebrew "nephesh" means breath; the vital part of life … the spirit, the rational soul, the mind, the thing that lives … the real you inside your flesh.

The word hell, Hebrew "sheol" means the region or abode of the dead; of which the grave was regarded as the door or entrance to that underworld. Sheol included the grave, hell and paradise.

Revelation 1:18 … "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

I know its all symbolism … but I can hear the tinkle of the keys as Jesus shakes them at Satan after He destroyed his power over death. (Hebrews 2:14-15) "… through death he (Jesus) might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them …"

Here's Samuel speaking to Saul with the witch of Endor …

1st Samuel 28:19 … "Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines."

Tomorrow … the same day he dies, Saul and his sons will be with Samuel in the underworld or the realm of the dead, sheol. This shows there isn't much, if any waiting time after death … the spirit leaves the body and goes into God's presence or is sent away from His presence. Heaven or Hell; two choices, it's just that simple.

Let me say, I don't believe in … spooks. Nor ghosts for that matter.

I do not believe that at death a person's spirit just wanders around aimlessly like a cloud floating in a breeze. God always has purpose; we are His. Our breath is His. Our breath is only on loan to us. If He calls it back, we stop breathing … in fact that's why we die … Psalm 104:29 speaking of God says; "… thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust."

With your last breath, the spirit He breathed into us; when He calls it back … your spirit will leave your body. You don't have a choice.

Job 12:10 … "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind."

Breath shows whether your spirit, your life is still there. Years ago people would hold a mirror up to a dead persons nostrils to check for any sign of life. If they were alive their warm breath would fog up the mirror.

Job 27:3 "… my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils …"

In real simple terms, I am of the opinion, that our breath may be part of our spirit. Why do I say that? Because God breathed into Adam the breath of life and he became a living soul. But that's just my opinion … everyone has one.

In closing … one of the last things, if not the last thing God does for us is found in …

Revelation 21:4-5 … "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new."

The phrase … there shall be no more death … doesn't just mean that no longer will anyone die, (which is true); but rather it shows that the former things (death and the grave) are passed away because all who have died have been resurrected making null and void all previous deaths. Death itself … past, present and future will have been destroyed.


Comments welcome.

Absent From the Body … Part I

I am aware that the subject of death isn't something we enjoy to contemplate. But if we sit down and think about death itself; what death is and what death has done; of the many millions that have died; of the earth covered with the graves of the dead; of even our own death and the certainty that we must die; our parents, and brothers and sisters; our children and grandchildren; that all … all must die … we can become discouraged.

But the truth is … that there is coming a day when death shall end and will be no more.

Some time ago a dear sister in the Lord asked me to find, according to Scripture exactly what happens to us when we die. Of course I think we all know that would depend upon whether or not at death we have been born again by accepting the completed work of Jesus … "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world" … through His death on the cross.

In other words … believing that in the name of Jesus you have salvation through that name … which is the only name by which you can be saved. In Acts 4:12, Peter said it this way; "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

So, starting with this Doctrinal Belief … salvation only through Jesus … the death of a believer in Christ is handled quite differently by God than are the unsaved at their death.

Those who have never accepted Jesus as Lord … the unsaved … at death their bodies will normally be placed in a grave just like the bodies of believers. Their spirit and soul, (considered as one for the purpose of this discourse) having left the body goes to Hades, (Hell) where they are held until they are later reunited with their resurrected physical bodies at the Day of Judgment where, I'm sorry to say, but must say, they will be judged and condemned to be separated from God in the eternal damnation of the Lake of Fire. This is called "the second death" and has been preordained and predetermined according to the counsel of God's immutable and righteous will.

But for believers in Christ … all is well.

In 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, the Apostle Paul gives us words of comfort concerning those who have died before us. The K.J.V. speaks of those in the grave as being asleep. This is where the false teaching of soul sleep started. Only the bodies are in the grave as if asleep, dead to the world … not our spirit and soul.

Paul states that he doesn't want us to be ignorant, (lacking information or knowledge) concerning them which are asleep, (meaning those who have died and are buried) so that we don't sorrow as others do, (the non-believers) which have no hope.

He continues speaking of the return of the Lord … "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him."

What is Paul telling us here? Simply this … the believers who have already died can not be asleep in the grave with their bodies if Jesus brings them with Him to resurrect their bodies. So, doesn't this mean they must already be in Heaven … with Him?

In 2nd Corinthians 5:1-8 Paul reveals a little more of this when he says we know and are confident … well, here are his words.

"For we know that if our earthly house (our body) of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be … (here's the key) … absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

In 2nd Corinthians 12:2-3, Paul states something most remarkable. He says … "I knew a man in Christ above (in Heaven) fourteen years ago, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; such a one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth …"

I believe Paul was talking about himself when he was at Lystra, where he was stoned and dragged out of the city and left for dead 14 years earlier. When Paul's spirit left his body at the moment of death, he found himself in Heaven … it was so real and life-like, he didn't know the difference. He wasn't there very long; his disciples prayed over him and he came back to life. God wasn't done with him yet.

Perhaps from his experience of dying at Lystra, Paul became so convinced of the reality that to die, to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord that he said in …

Philippians 1:21-23 … "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh … I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better …"

Paul for the third time, using similar words is saying … "I have a desire to depart this life and be with Christ." He knows what happens at death. Paul has experienced both realms; the natural life in the flesh as well as life after death, if only for a short time and … desires the better one … the one with Christ.

There is another illustration showing the reality of our spiritual life in Heaven while being absent from the body. In his book "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" … John wrote about what personally happened to him.

In Chapter 1, verses 10 & 11, John writes … "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book …"

John continues in Chapter 4, verses 1 & 2 … "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."

I contend that John was at first seeing things in the Spirit through a spiritual vision while still in his physical body. But when God said … Come up hither … I believe he was taken out of his body, as if he died and was immediately in the spirit realm in Heaven. Why would he say it twice unless the second time he was absent from the body.

One of the first things John sees in Heaven is a book sealed with seven seals that only Jesus, the Lamb of God can open one at a time. When Jesus had opened the fifth seal, John said … "I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held."

These were believers who were going to be killed during the Tribulation; which I also accept as another proof that at death your spirit (soul) goes to be with the Lord in Heaven.

While there, he was accompanied by a being he thought was an angel who showed him all the judgments coming upon the earth. This angel or being turns out to be another redeemed man just like the Apostle John.

Revelation 19:10 … "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God …"

Revelation 22:8-9 … "And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God."

The reality of the experience John writes about sounds exactly like the one the Apostle Paul had earlier when he was in Heaven.

To be absent from the body … that is, to die; meaning to depart out of this world leaving all your stuff, all your worldly goods; including leaving your body behind for others to deal with just as Christ did when He died on the cross.

Just before my mother died, she said she didn't care what happened to her sick, tired, worn out 94 year old body … she wasn't going to need it anymore. She knew there was going to be a new one waiting for her someday at the resurrection; and until that day she would be just fine in her "Robe of Righteousness" that Jesus was going to clothe her with in Heaven.

While preparing for this study, I noticed the meaning of the word clothe is not only to provide with clothes, but also to … "Furnish with the power and authority of kings." Wow. And that king is Jesus, the King of Kings. The reality of Heaven is waiting for us.

To be Continued.


Comments welcome.

Did Jesus Need Faith to Heal

I think that is a fair question to ask. Most people would automatically say … yes. He was the perfect example of faith in action. I do agree that Jesus had 100% of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation in His life anytime He so desired. That is why and how He was able to accomplish all the things He did in His earthly ministry. One of those gifts was … the gift of faith.

But wait a minute. Is that really the reason? I have always believed and taught the very same thing … that Jesus emptied Himself of all that was God, when He, as the Word of God in heaven became flesh and blood on earth.

But then I noticed some of the words the Apostle Paul used in his description of Jesus the man; the phrases used as he tried to illustrate how Jesus, as God in human flesh, looked compared to natural man.

You will admit won't you that Jesus was just a little bit different being born of a virgin. His human flesh came from Mary, but since He had no earthly father His individual defining attributes and His inherent nature and character came … not from man … but from God.

We have a natural body made of flesh; so did Jesus. We also have a spirit within us sometimes called our spirit man or our spiritual heart; so did Jesus. Many times people confuse what I call the breath of life, what God breathed into Adam, our spirit man, the real you inside … with what is called our soul. They are used interchangeably in the Bible; sometimes as spirit, heart or soul. But the spirit and the soul are very different.

The Bible doesn't really distinguish the difference between spirit and soul. Let me try to do just that. At conception, where life begins, God breathes into or somehow places our human spirit into the baby in the mother's womb. The baby's body grows; the mother gives birth and the child becomes … a living soul. The soul therefore is the result of flesh and spirit being joined together.

The soul, for some reason seems more closely connected to the flesh than does the spirit. It is in the soul where our flesh battles with our spirit for control over our appetites and the physical desires of our fleshly bodies. This is why Paul said … "to will is present with me, (to please God) but how to perform that, I know not how." Paul was saying his spirit was willing but his flesh was weak and didn't follow the dictates of his heart, his spirit.

Okay, as usual I took a detour the long way around; sorry, but I wanted to give a little background just in case there might be someone who may not know or understand what is involved in … being made in the image of God … as it states man was in the Book of Genesis. God is a trinity; composed of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit … man is slightly different. He is predominantly flesh, has a spirit and a troubled soul.

In the eternal heaven we will still be a spirit being with a new resurrected physical body … but I'm not too sure we will have need of our soul. It sure causes us a lot of trouble here on earth.

Getting back to the question … "Did Jesus need faith to heal?"

Follow along as I present what are to me, some interesting observations.

The Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:7-8 writes that Jesus … "took upon the form of a servant … was made in the likeness of men … being found in fashion as a man …" and again in Romans 8:3 Paul states that God sent His own Son … "in the likeness of sinful flesh."

Do you notice the bold emphasis I have placed on the expressions Paul used? The K.J.V. reads … "the form of a servant, the likeness of men, found in fashion as a man." The Amplified states it this way … "to assume … become like men."

For the sake of argument let me ask this question … was Jesus really a man as we are or was it that He only looked like a man? What did Paul really mean when he wrote that Jesus was made in the "likeness of" or that He was found in "fashion as" a man … He became "like" men? He said that Jesus … "took upon himself the form of a man." Is that like putting on a coat? Was the flesh only used to cover up the fact that He was God? Again, this thought is only for the sake of argument.

Was Jesus more God than man? Was this why Jesus was able to perform all the miracles; healing disease, raising the dead, walking on water and live as a man without sin? Was He really like us? He was tempted in all points as we are … but God can't be tempted.

Jesus did not cease to be God when He took upon the form of a man … God cannot be less than what He is.

Think about this … If He was God in Heaven as the Word, how could He divest Himself of His divine nature … that would be IMPOSSIBLE. He could not … CEASE TO BE GOD … just as God cannot cease to be Holy.

When Jesus healed people, were they healed through His faith? Were all the miracles accomplished by faith only, or was it because … He was God?

If Jesus healed as I believe He did … as God … then His faith wasn't needed.

Why wasn't His faith needed? Because God lacks nothing and needs nothing; He is all powerful and all sufficient in and of Himself; He has no limits or boundaries, is infallible and incapable of failure or error.

To further illustrate that Jesus did not need to use or depend upon His own faith to heal, I want to turn to the Word of God … and the truth of the Holy Scriptures.

Do you remember the woman that had an issue of blood for twelve years; the one who came up behind Jesus and touched the hem of his garment? This same story is found in three of the Gospels. I have highlighted in bold letters the part of the text below that I want you to notice.

Matthew 9:21-22 … "She said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour."
Mark 5:34 … "And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."
Luke 8:48 … "And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."

Do you see the common theme here? Whose faith did Jesus say brought healing? It wasn't His; it was her faith. She had the faith, He had the power.

There was a blind man begging along the side of the road; the story is found in …

Mark 10:50-52 … "And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."

Again, the man had the faith, Jesus had the power.

All of us have heard about blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:52 … "Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."

Remember the story of the ten men that were lepers? It's found in the 17th chapter of Luke. Only one of the ten came back to thank Jesus and hear from Him these words … "Thy faith hath made thee whole."

In Matthew chapter 15 we find a Canaan woman coming to Jesus and asking Him to help her daughter who has a devil. But Jesus answered her not a word. But she didn't give up and worshiped Him and asked again … Lord, help me.

What is going on here? This doesn't sound like Jesus. When He does speak to her it's a put down telling her … it is not appropriate or proper for a Jew to give bread to dogs, meaning Gentiles. Jesus does this to test her faith and to give her the opportunity to exercise that faith.

Her response is one of the greatest arguments in the Bible. "And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

Matthew 15:28 … "Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."

It wasn't always just Jesus who experienced the faith of others; Paul had the same experience. This is recorded in …

Acts 14:8-10 … "And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked."

The man had faith to be healed after hearing Paul preach about Jesus. Paul perceived this man's faith, (through the gift of the Holy Spirit) and the power of healing came from Paul's command to the lame man to exercise his faith and stand; which he did.

In all the examples I have given from the Word of God, there is one common thread, one theme which are the very words Jesus proclaimed to all those who asked for healing from Him … "Thy faith" … has made you whole.

They had the faith, Jesus had the power.

I believe the same still holds true today.


Comments welcome.

Story Time

If you don't mind, I would like to tell you a short story. This story is fictional. It could well have happened somewhere in this great big world but I would hope it never has.

Since I'm not a writer or an author I'm not sure of what library classification listing this story should be filed under. I guess it could be listed as "human interest" or perhaps even "educational" rather then "fiction" because I'm hoping we can learn something from it. If possible, try and put yourself in the shoes of the main character. Picture in your own mind what he sees and open your heart to feel his emotion the same as if you are there instead of him.


One day you find yourself standing on a beautiful deserted sandy ocean beach. The day is perfect, just a slight breeze coming in off the water with a couple of sea gulls circling overhead. As you are looking out at the sunset you notice a sailboat on the horizon which makes you wonder what an ocean voyage would be like.

Lost in your thoughts as the day is coming to and end, you feel the peace of being all alone with the One who created the beauty that now surrounds you. In the quiet of the moment, except from the noise the waves make as they slap the shoreline you quietly say to the Lord … I am blessed. How true that is.

Suddenly out of the corner of your eye you see movement; a cute little two year old toddler is running by you out into the water. Looking around for her parents and seeing only her, your first thought is … "Where did she come from?"

No one else is on the beach, just you and her. You just stand there at the edge of the water watching her as she is playing in the water, having fun, laughing and giggling as little girls do. While you watch, she walks farther and deeper out into this beautiful blue ocean. Now it's too far … she falls down, washed over by the strong waves coming in and she starts to drown … but you just stand there.

All you need to do is take four or five steps into the water, reach down and pick her up … but you don't … you just stand there watching as she drowns. A beautiful little child's life is gone in a moment of time; a child who didn't know any better than to walk into a dangerous situation that some would say is an act of God. Call it part of the evil in nature. An accident of natural causes … right?

It's nothing you did. You didn't tell her to go out there; you didn't push her into the water. You had the power to save her; you could have prevented it … but you didn't.

So … who is ultimately responsible for her death?

Now picture this … before you can turn and walk away, her parents run down to the water and see her small lifeless body being washed back and forth in the shallows along the edge of the beach. Through their pain and shock they cry out … No! Dear God no! How did this happen?

After they lift her cold wet body from the water and hold their limp lifeless child in their arms they look at you just standing there, and with agonizing pain in their voices they cry out at you … You could have prevented this from happening. Why didn't you help her? All you needed to do was …

Now there is a point to my story … God is in this very same position watching us, as you were watching this little toddler. He watches us run through each and every day of our lives, many times walking into situations, doing things that places us at risk of drowning ourselves. God doesn't force us into the ocean … but He won't keep us from it either; we have a free will.

Many times it's our fault, but many times it's not. Tragedies similar in nature to this one happen every day. Loved ones die from accidents, sickness and disease; others are victims of rape, murder and other violent crimes. I'm sure you read about the little girl who stuck her arm though her neighbor's fence only to have it ripped off by their pet pit bull. Can you imagine what her parents felt?

Life is cruel and unfair … things just happen, terrible things.

So we often ask … Lord, how did you let this happen? Why didn't you intervene? All you needed to do was reach down …

This is why I believe and teach that God is ultimately responsible for everything; including those things that we believe are primarily the evils of nature or its secondary causes associated with the fall of man.

I don't know why, but God in His wisdom allows things that His power could prevent.

There is one thing though I have learned about God … His conduct … should never be called into question.


Comments Welcome.