His Glory Revealed

Where is God when we suffer? This question was the subject of my pastor's sermon last week, 4 days after an EF4 tornado hit the area where I live, particularly devastating the campus of Union University, a Christ-centered Baptist university. Suffering and loss were surrounding us. Many might cry out, "Where are you God? Why did this happen?"

During the past week, I have seen where He is. He is:

• In the hearts of multitudes of volunteers, faculty, staff, and alumni climbing through debris to recover belongings of students and carefully bagging them--for hours in c0ld weather.


• In the hearts of student leaders staying to do whatever possible to help, even when everything they have has just been destroyed.


• In the donations of Target and Wal-Mart giftcards from the community enabling students to buy clothes, food, bedding, and other school supplies.


• In the incredible Christ-focused leadership of President David Dockery, a man that must be overwhelmed at the task in front of him, but fully confident in the God behind him.


• In the faith and of people who are confident that they serve an awesome God who is in control, even in our pain.

He is here, He always was. When the storm was raging, He was here. When the tornado hit campus housing, He was placing His hand of protection on over 1000 students, sparing every precious life against tremendous odds. No one walking through the rubble the next day would have believed that everyone survived. He was and IS here.

It is so hard when we suffer to see that He is present. I love the quote by CS Lewis:

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

He shouts to us in our suffering. He is present and protecting us and using our pain to bring us closer to Him. He allows suffering, because He loves us. He experienced the pain of sacrificing His only son for our salvation. Through the suffering, I have seen the glory of God revealed. He is sovereign and in control.

John 11 tells the story of Lazarus:

Then Jesus,deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"

Through your suffering, He is present and His glory is revealed!