Rural Cambodian Family maimed by a land mine.
Even after a conflict ends, mines and explosive remnants of war such as unexploded bombs, shells and cluster-munition bomblets continue to kill and maim. This deadly problem has a name: weapon contamination. It deprives entire populations of water, firewood, farmland, health care and education. — ICRC . God’s will?
Is God’s Will Being Done?
“Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.”—Matthew 6:10.
The view that whatever happens, good or bad, manifests God’s will is often based on Jesus’ words in what is called the Lord’s Prayer, quoted above. God’s will is being done in heaven, is it not? In praying ‘Let your will be done on earth,’ do we not acquiesce to what happens on earth as being God’s will?
Many are uncomfortable with this view. For them, it portrays God as insensitive to the feelings of his human creation. ‘How could a loving God want what is horrific for innocent people?’ they ask. ‘If there is a lesson to be learned, what could the lesson possibly be?’ Perhaps that is how you feel.
In this regard, Jesus’ half brother, the disciple James, wrote: “When under trial, let no one say: ‘I am being tried by God.’ For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.” (James 1:13) God is not the source of what is bad. Plainly, therefore, not all that happens on earth today is God’s will. The Scriptures speak also of man’s will, the nations’ will, and even the Devil’s will. (John 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:26; 1 Peter 4:3)
Do you agree that what happened to the cambodian family could not have been the will of a loving heavenly Father?—Text source Watchtower
Photo Credit: cpi
