A couple of weeks ago I introduced you to William Burt who shared some treasures with us. Today's he's got something for us to think about.....
While that response is undoubtedly true, it doesn’t address the bigger question, which is, “Why did God allow those hurricanes in the first place?” Again, we could glibly answer, “For His glory and His perfect purposes,” an explanation that begs the ultimate question, “Why does God allow evil in the world?”
Though many books have been written that delve into this issue more thoroughly than I can here, I believe we can find the answer in both Genesis and Job. In Genesis, we read how Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s edict by surrendering to Satan’s temptation and lies, bringing ruination upon the human race and creation itself (cf. Romans 8:22). In essence, all of the original couple’s descendants are suffering the consequences of that rebellious decision. In Job, we see how Satan must ask God’s permission before afflicting His servants in any way, and we also see that the Father of Lies is capable of inflicting violent, weather-related phenomena upon God’s children.
This brings us to our final question: “Why has God allowed Satan to run rampant over the earth all these years?” The Adversary still incites people to sin, wreaking both physical and spiritual destruction in countless lives. To be sure, God can use Satan for His own ends, but I am convinced the answer ultimately lies in God’s mercy and kindness to us. Although we all must suffer the repercussions of the Original Sin, God does not bind us to Adam and Eve's Original Decision. Rather than condemning the entire human race to hell out of hand, God is offering each human being the same choice He offered Adam and Eve: the freedom to follow God (through Christ) or to follow Satan. In effect, God is recapitulating Eden’s pivotal Choice for each one of us, but to make that Choice authentic, Lucifer must still be a factor in the equation—and he will remain a factor in earth’s spiritual equation until God binds and casts him into the bottomless pit for a thousand years. When he is released again, it is only to offer the human race Eden’s Choice one last time before our enemy is consigned eternally to the Lake of Fire.
In this we can find comfort and hope, that God will not permit Satan’s insidious influence in this world a moment longer than necessary. Then as Christ takes His rightful place on earth’s throne, all hunger and sorrow, pain—and hurricanes—will fade into distant memory.
William D. Burt is the award-winning author of the seven-title Christian allegorical “King of the Trees” series. Two of his titles (out of three submitted) were finalists in the 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest: “The King of the Trees” and “The Golden Wood.”
“The King of the Trees” subsequently won the 2014 Silver Medal in the category of “Christian Fantasy.”
All seven of Burt’s series titles have been awarded five stars by Readers’ Favorite reviewers. He was also a 2013 finalist in The Authors Show.com "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" competition.
Volume I in his new Creation Seekers series, “The Lake Lights” is William Burt’s first foray into the realm of science fiction. The plot deals with the investigation of an unusual lake phenomenon in Oregon as well as the discovery of a world-changing invention that helps prevent a nuclear disaster.
As an Assistant Professor in the Special Education Department at Western Oregon University, Burt served as a successful grant-writer and program coordinator. He holds a B.S. in English from Lewis and Clark College and an M.S. from Western Oregon University in Deaf Education. Burt has been an RID-certified sign-language interpreter with over forty years’ experience. His interests include reading, foreign languages and mycology. He is married with two grown children and two grandchildren.
Find out more about William and his books at his Website. The Lakelights is available at Amazon in Print and for Kindle!
Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends and that you'll drop by each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
PS: Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a Kindle Fire and if you haven't already purchased your copy of my award-winning title, Keri's Christmas Wish (Print & Kindle) or Mistletoe, Snow and Suspense, get them today!
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