Why God, Why?

Last night, I was complaining to God asking, “Why God, why?  And how much longer …?”  I don’t understand why people have to suffer.  So I ask God, talk to Him, or maybe I should just call it complaining. I think it is healthy to complain to God.  I think it is healthier than complaining to a friend or relative.  God can handle anything, people can’t.  God doesn’t mind us complaining to him.  I mean truly, why would He not long to hear the honest cries of His people?  John Goldingay author of Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Gospel  says, “In such times of crisis, Yhwh listens to Israel’s cry, helps and delivers, so that the people triumph. “[1] God longs to comfort us just like a mother comforts her newborn.  Newborns can fuss and fuss and fuss, but a healthy mother longs to comfort and sooth her baby.  God too, longs to comfort us.

Reflecting on how God wants to comfort me this week I dwelt on the thought, -God longs to comfort me like a mother, and protect me like a father.   God can comfort me in the night, and correct me in the day.  Goldingay speaks of Yhwh being “a passionate and therefore jealous and angry lover.”[2] He was upset when the Israelites followed after other gods.   He desired all of them “the entire person, inward and outward”[3], and He desires all of us.  I am glad God longs for us.  I am glad He desires to hear our hearts whether they are sad, happy, excited, frustrated, angry, etc.  He wants all of us, and I hope you can say with me, I want all of Him.

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[1] Goldingay, John. Old Testament Theology Volume One Israel’s Gospel. Madison: IVP Academic, 2003. pg. 623

[2] Ibid., pg. 633.

[3] Ibid., pg. 624

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