[062a]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

[062A]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE?

THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE FIRST PART

PART 1

INTRODUCTION TO THIS POEM

This is my most serious poem because it addresses a difficult matter that has occupied Christian Apologists for centuries. Why does a God who says He is love allow such suffering in the world – murdered babies, starvation, war, sorrow, terrible pain through disease, and countless more examples?

The poem is also a longer one. A lot for one sitting.

We will never satisfactorily answer that for the hardened accuser, as much as we try. This poem is my attempt to find a solution that has satisfied me. I would love to know how you would answer that.

There is much suffering in the world. This began with the sin of our fore-parents and has been endemic to all human beings. Christians have suffering as do non-Christians, but their understanding of the bible helps to explain it, and the support of the Lord is fundamental. Christ is our resource for suffering. He is our Great High Priest. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter.

Often one hears, “How can God be a god of love with all this suffering?” “Why does God let good people suffer?” “Suffering must prove there is no God because He could stop it.” People do question this problematic concept, and many are cynical about it. It is just not logical for them that if God exists, or is love, then He allows suffering which is horrendous in the world and always has been. It has been an issue with Christian philosophers and apologists down through the centuries.

All of us would find it a difficult challenge to answer a sceptic on this issue as it is complex. Even Job’s so-called friends could not get it right. Because it was on my mind for a time in 2006 I tried to look at it and come up with a solution that satisfied me. The poem is the result of that and it was a bit difficult to address the processes while still maintaining the “poem format” and not turning to narrative.

IN THIS POEM THERE ARE THREE SPEAKERS. The first is the Outsider; the second is Me/You, a Christian; the third is God. The speakers fall into three corresponding Sections – A, B, and C. To assist, I have written in the speakers next to each Section. I hope you can follow it and see the points made and give your own contemplation to the question, “Does Suffering Negate God?” Does suffering cancel out a God of love?

{{Exodus 34:6-7 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS, slow to anger, and ABOUNDING IN LOVINGKINDNESS and truth, who keeps loving kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”}}

{{John 3:16 “for GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life”}}

{{Psalm 45:6-7 “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS, and hated wickedness, therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows.”}} Messianic psalm.

NOTE:- SermonCentral does not keep the formatting of poems very well. If you want this poem in better formatting please contact me and I will send to you. MycenaPink@gmail.com

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DOES SUFFERING NEGATE GOD?

DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE?

SECTION A - Part 1 (THE SCEPTIC SPEAKING – THE CRITIC)

Why is life so meaningless

With hate and sorrow everywhere?

Babies die in tragedies

While parents have this grief to bear.

People murdered every day

Through wars and bombs and growing hate.

Cancer-ridden patients die

And millions suffer some bad fate.

Children with diseases live

Their shortened lives in hope of cure.

Older folk in nursing homes

Own painful lives they must endure.

Look at Africa right now

With rampant AIDS and poverty.

Children die with stark fixed eyes -

Who cares about this tragedy?

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SECTION A - PART 2 (THE SCEPTIC CONTINUES – THE CRITIC)

Rich folk seem to have no cares -

They squander much on wantonness;

Seem to flout their selfish lives:

Seem so devoid of barrenness.

Murders, rapes, extortion, greed,

Our world that honours corporate lies,

Torture, envy and revenge,

Abuse attacks - who hears their cries?

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SECTION A - PART 3 (THE SCEPTIC CONTINUES – THE CRITIC)

Where is God in all of this? -

We witness all the hurt and pain.

“God of love” how can you say

When suffering and hurt remain?

“God of compassion!” Tell me

Where is this God in people’s lives?

Why is it, without this God,

The world in sorrow still survives?

Rich get richer - poor just die.

There is no God to intervene.

Concepts like a God of love,

To thinking people, are obscene.

Self-delusion’s such a curse

When more than half the world is poor.

Hunger offshoots to disease

With tragic, painful deaths for sure.

Why does God ignore distress,

And why the pain and suffering?

God’s existence can’t be real

When heartaches keep on gathering.

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TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2

26 Feb - 6 March 2006 Ron Ferguson A-B-C-B throughout