Recently, I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a discussion about theodicy. Theodicy derives from the Greek phrases that refer to God Theos, and judgement diko. It isn’t about God judging us however, as it relates to humanity judging or justifying God’s Godness when Life happens. Some philosophers simply say theodicy looks at the problem of evil, they don’t mention God. Others ask, ‘why do bad things happen to good people’? No matter how it is phrased, the fact is, until Christ’s return, this is a question that often will plague us.
I wish to extend the question a bit to invite us to reflect on our response when disaster is in sight (but not yet present) as we consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Deuteronomy 3:1 CEVDCI
[1] When we turned onto the road that leads to Bashan, King Og of Bashan led out his whole army to fight us at Edrei.”
When Trouble Brews
Sometimes trouble is as predictable as rain clouds. We can see it coming in the horizon. Some of us have the ‘gift’ of recognizing other people’s trouble although we can’t see our own if it shows up at our doorstep! It may be in our best interests then, to mind our own business to prevent trouble coming our way. Of course, there are also the official worrywarts, who can only see trouble in every situation. We are not called to pessimism, so that’s not an ideal attitude either.
Self-Check
How easily do we recognize trouble, and are we the type who always anticipate trouble?
Digging Deeper
In the case of the Children of Israel, it would be understandable if they had a somewhat pessimistic approach to their journey. They’d been enslaved most of their lives. It was inherited, as their ancestors had been enslaved for over 400 years. And on their journey to the Land of Promise, it seemed TARGET was stamped all over them. They were attacked throughout the journey. So, King Og of Bashan was just another problem. It is said that he was taller than the Philistine enemy, Goliath. If so, the Children of Israel would recognise the sign of trouble with ease. For Og was also accompanied by his army. He meant business.
Og represented the worst of every worst case scenario anyone could anticipate. His size, his preparedness for battle, and his home advantage made it clear that the Children of Israel were under attack. He intended to attack them at his ‘strong’, fortified city Edrei (Edrei means fortress or strong). He knew what the outcome of the battle would be.
Moses was leading the people. He had faced several problems before, both personally and as leader of his people. This was the problem of evil, as well as the prelude to evil. One songwriter says that ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’. That may be true, but where do they go? Well, Moses’ track record shows that he usually turned to God. Would the Bashan scenario be any different?
In Moses’ shoes, where do we go when trouble shows up?
Point to Ponder
Trouble, though real, is a matter of perspective. Our response to trouble is dependent our interpretation.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
