“My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.”  Isaiah 55:8

“For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.”  1 Corinthians 1:25

Recently at Sunday worship, the Children’s Message theme was creation and God’s role.  Children were asked if they think God made mistakes.  I couldn’t hear their “wisdom”, but lightheartedly I thought about lilacs and peonies, that their beauty and fragrance should last longer; that the beautiful orange, red, and yellow leaves of fall should cling longer to trees. 

Seriously, to many, “God’s mistakes” are far deeper than flowers and pleasure and senses.  In our grief and despair we question God.  We blame God for what we see as “mistakes”, tragedies, seemingly unanswered prayers.   Young people die.  Aging is hard.  There are drought and floods, volcanoes and earthquakes, war and war and war!  How could this happen?  Why doesn’t God stop this?  Why doesn’t God see our solutions?  Why don’t you see, dear God, that life, as we see it, would be better?  Why didn’t God do it “my” way?  In “my” world no one would be hungry, sick, in pain, lonely.  Everyone would have a house, a mailbox … and get caring mail that ends “With Love …”     

God never promised success and wealth, perfect health and pain-free aging.  Scripture tells us there is a time to laugh and a time to weep, a time to dance and a time to mourn.  Weeping and mourning are not God’s mistakes.  They are life as surely as laughing and dancing.  They are loving.  What God did promise is grace and redemption, and his spiritual presence as we live through God’s “mistakes”, with trust.

Loving God, we trust in you to strengthen and sustain us during hard times and to trust in you for courage and peace.  Amen

Verla Olson

Ministries
Teaching Mission Party