Where was God when this happened?

As a minister I hear a lot of questions about spiritual and religious
things. One question that turns up repeatedly is, "Where was God when this
happened?" Almost always it is in reference to some bad things that happened
in someone's life. Another question you often hear is, "If there is a God,
why does he allow so many bad things to happen in our world?" Often this is
asked by those who try and justify themselves for not believing in God, not
attending church services, not praying, etc. I can tell you from experience
that there are always more questions than I have answers.

My wife and I have made an effort to read the bible through each year for
the past 20 years or so and it is amazing how with each reading comes new
knowledge and understanding. This week in our daily bible reading I came
across this phrase that stood out in my mind. The prophet Zechariah speaking
for God said, "They made their hearts as hard as flint, and would not listen
to the law or the word that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through
the earlier prophets, (teachers of God's Word): therefore the Lord Almighty
was very angry. 'When I called, they did not listen, so when they called. I
would not listen,' Says the Lord Almighty." (Zechariah 7:12-13)

Don't you think that is interesting? It tells us why God sometimes does not
respond to our prayers and pleas. It says that God has sent his word to us
and we have refused to listen and obey him and because of that, he refused
to listen to us when we cry out to him.

Another question I often hear is, "Does God hear a sinner's prayer?" Yes, I
believe that God hears every prayer, especially since the bible clearly
tells us that everyone sins and fall short of being perfect or sin free. The
real question I believe is, "Does God respond to the requests in a sinner's
prayer?"

Well, obviously, I'm not God and I can't speak for him, I can only share my
limited understanding of His Word. From what I understand, God has the
freedom to do whatever he wants to do. If he chooses to respond to a
sinner's prayer request he can do that, but from all indications he has
already said that he won't. You may cry out, "Where was God when.?" and
God's response may very well be, "Where were you when I asked you to hear my
word and do what I asked?" "When I called, they did not listen, so when they
called. I would not listen, Says the Lord Almighty."

There is an interesting passage in the book of First John. John is trying to
help folks find the right path to God. There have been some who were
teaching the early church, that it really didn't matter what you did, what
you said or how you worshiped, as long as you "love God in your heart."
Listen to John's response. "If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't
obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the
truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love
him. That is how we know we are living in him." (1 John 2:3-4, NLT)

You may be asking, "Where was God?", but perhaps he's been asking where you
have been also? Are you really living in him?

Russ Lawson