Why Me Lord?

(a) In the eventualities and varied experiences of life, at one point or another, I’m sure we have all uttered the words which are no doubt in the heart of every grieving parent who has lost their child, or every husband or wife their partner - "WHY ME?"

(b) I know in the course of my pastoral ministry, many have uttered these words to me.

(c) But as my wife on occasions has said, "WHY NOT ME?"

Being a Christian does not in any way insulate or cushion us from the very real inevitable problems of life. In fact sometimes it would almost seem that the OPPOSITE IS TRUE!! The Christian at

times seems to experience more than their fair share of problems and troubles. A friend of mine once said, he never knew there was a devil until he got saved. Life seemed easy until then!

(d) But the difference is, we have the availability of Divine power, comfort, and assurance, to enable us to come through the other side of the tunnel into the light!

(e) There are those who on such occasions turn their back on God in the midst of tragedy, because they blame Him.

(f) I remember speaking to a man in a pub one night, who was literally spewing out hatred towards God, because at some point, his little girl had died tragically.

I tried to tell him, because he felt as he did, he was rejecting all the help, comfort and peace that God alone could give.

Because of his feelings against God, HE was the loser!

POINT 1

(a) For the Christian, it is difficult to remember on such occasions that for gold to be purified it has to go through the fire!

(b) This brings all the impurities to the surface of the molten metal where they can be removed.

(c) That beautiful chorus, "Spirit of The Living God", says, "Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me."

(d) That must be the experience of each one of us, if we are to become more like the Saviour, thus walking the road of true holiness. Let us be under no delusion, it is a costly experience, one that often brings great pain and distress!

(e) 1 Peter 4:12 says, "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you" and it goes on to tell us that through that experience, we become "...partakers of Christ’s sufferings."

(f) So many in our corps have proved yet again in these recent days, that Life cannot be all sunshine: the clouds and shadows WILL come.

The dark painful experiences come to all of us, sooner or later.

We cannot escape them! and when they come they prompt us to ask, "WHY ME?"

POINT 2

(a) In our own lives, we never see the complete picture. We simply expend energy, and rack our brains to work out WHY things happen.

[b] Something we find it difficult to grasp, was mentioned on the television, by Rev. Steve Chalk, speaking about Dunblane.

He said something like this, If I make a decision to do something, it can affect many other people. But we cherish the freedom to do that. If God were to control our every move, we would be but robots, fulfilling His every wish.

[c] It is difficult to accept the fact that we can find no rhyme or reason to certain incidents, at least in this life.

(d) But with our limited knowledge of the whole picture, we have no way of knowing where events, especially tragedies, fit in.

(e) We can but say that we are a part of God’s omnipotent plan, that reaches from eternity to eternity; a plan that was in the mind of God, even before the world was created. Even then, He saw you and me in the future, and made His plans.

Let us remember, "HE PLANS FOR US IN LOVE, FOR HE STILL CARES!"

POINT 3

(a) We must constantly remind ourselves of the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:7, "We walk by faith and not by sight."

If we try and reverse it and try to walk by SIGHT instead of faith, we will fail miserably!

(b) Jesus says in John 13:7, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." Or as it is translated in the Amplified Bible, "You do not understand now what I am doing, but

you will understand later on."

(c) Because we lack the ability with these puny minds to comprehend God’s plan in it’s completeness, He can only reveal part of it at once! The remainder must be accepted in faith!

(d) Sometimes we may say but how can the Lord know what I am feeling; how could He understand??

He understands and can help us because He has been through it already!! The Bible is not exaggerating when it says, "He was in ALL ways tempted like as we are, yet without sin."