“Are not the gods just?”
“Oh, no, my child. Where would we be if they were?”
(C. S. Lewis, Till We Have Faces)
by Marti Fischer
There was once a time when I got distressed about the existence of evil/sin in the world and wondered why God didn’t run the world right.
I say “there was a time” because now, when I purposely turn to the Lord to inquire, his grace provides light to expose that most of the suffering in my world is self–inflicted. It is my sin including my greed, my permissiveness, my selfishness, my relentless pursuit of personal pleasure that has caused so much unhappiness in others and in me.
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3: 17)
There is freedom when turning to the Lord — freedom to fellowship, freedom to talk to Him about the sin (my sin), freedom to be cleansed, and freedom to be responsible for the anguish I cause because of my sin.
Of course I can insist God be a just God, to start setting things right by dealing with evil/sin. His justice would have to do so across the board, which means he would put down all of the other horrid people including me. If God were merely just where would I stand — or could I?
Now when I say, “What’s wrong with the world?” My answer is always, “I am.”
And because of His amazing Grace, I can turn the Grace given to me out to others.
John Fischer The Catch 
Thank God for his Amazing Grace towards each of us. Those words so true for each of us and thankfully one of the best songs I have ever heard if not the best and have fond memories of that towards the end of many great services long ago at Rozzel Cumberland Presbyterian church in the seventies and early eighties.
“What’s wrong with the world?”
“I am.”
Well put. Taking a page from G. K. Chesterton. If I’m to point the finger at anyone, I really have to start with myself.
Great Catch gorgeous Marti! And TY 4 it…
PS Dear Pastor John I could be wrong, SURELY have been before, yet please correct me if I am wrong in this observation as a NON political Facebook friend pointed out to me: (the rules are) “Our only request is that we leave partisan politics out of the conversation during this particularly polarizing season of opinions.” Then how does this political statement of yours (on June 29, 2021 @ 12:06 pm) “We’ve never been closer to another civil war than we are now.” Not break your own rule?
Drop it, Mark.
Let it go.
Since you offered yourself up to be corrected, where you are wrong is in your tirades aimed at John and your misperceptions that John is promoting some sort of left-wing or conspiratorial agenda.
While most of your replies to John’s posts are supportive and encouraging, for some reason this time around you’re choosing to spar over some statements that John made – and is free to express on his own post – over two weeks ago.
It seems you’re being purposefully argumentative and attempting to stir up controversy rather than promote civil dialogue.
You’re writing in a manner that is quasi-judgmental, lacking in grace, and unbecoming a brother in Christ.
Please consider memorizing and implementing the following verses before you go off on another rant:
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
~ Ephesians 4:29
Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
~ Colossians 4:6
And please forgive me for not following my own advice above.
Thank you.
Shalom, Peace…
LOL
It is not a political statement; it is the observation of a prophet regarding recent events and the state of our society in general.
I hope I can finish the comment before the computer does another restart, Ha! Thank God again for Amazing Grace. Thirty-years ago this September my father committed suicide using his 22 pistol. You try to deal with it but, doesn’t get any easier over the years. My mom found him after it happened when she came home from church the Sunday before Labor Day. Over the years just try to keep the faith and strong prayers many times.
Christ took the punishment that I deserve(d) to show me mercy and grace I don’t deserve.
God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense