Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Persecution in Orissa - A reflection on God’s sovereignty


A time like this, question comes to us why?? Why God, does ordain persecution? Does God really sovereign? Is he indeed control of everything, specifically the persecution that is happening right now? These questions make real sense to us when we are in and go through the same difficulties. And the answer to the above question is ‘Yes’ even though it is hard to accept. I too had the privilege of asking the same questions perhaps hundred times thus far, why God allows tragedy and suffering that I had never been before. I have to confess that I really don’t know the answer, I have to accept by faith that God is a God of love and mercy and compassion in the midst of suffering. The Bible says God is not the author of evil, and the truth is that God is sovereign.

Today suffering Christians in Orissa must be asking where God is. Where is God now? Well, God is right there in Orissa truly .He is on the throne, right where he supposed to be and nothing is out of his sight. We also know that where God isn’t. He is not in the hearts of those who persecute innocent Christians and tortured to death. But the question is where we are? How do we see God’s presence in this particular situation? Often God’s signs and interventions are not the ones we look for. We learn and need to learn in tragedy and persecution that his purposes are not always our own and yet we can trust him because our ways are not as God’s. This does not stop God being sovereign. When things are not as they should have been and when things are just opposite to our expectation still in the midst of these, we can trust God. God shapes us through the events we go through. The song entitled ‘This is my father’s world’ affirms the sovereignty of God in the midst of evil. God accomplishes His plans and purpose. God’s purpose takes into account in human error, even sin. God never does anything accidentally. God is real and sovereign no matter how you and I feel today. Our duty is to trust him because circumstances are not always pleasant.

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