I AM GLAD HE DIED!

Whenever there is a tragedy such a hurricane, a tsunami, a tornado, a plague, a baby dying, etc., the first comment unbelievers make is, "How could a loving and just God let that happen?"  Surprisingly, that question is not limited to unbelievers; unfortunately, the vast majority of born again believers ask the same thing!  "Where was God when...?"  The answer is, He was exactly where He was when humanity crucified His only begotten Son!  He was demonstrating His love for you and me, by orchestrating the horrible events below!

We are fond of quoting Romans 8:28 whenever a brother or sister in the Lord is going through some difficulty, but when the situation happens to us, we totally forget it!  It is only in good times that we, as believers, seem to remember and trust God's Word.  The verse says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."  Yes, we know, but do we truly believe it?     

In Isaiah 53:1-12, the prophet described the suffering Jesus would go through, more than 600 years before it would happen.  He foretold of a simple, common, innocent man, being accused of a capital offense, being tortured, and then mercilessly being nailed to a cross to die a horrible death.  And through it all, God did nothing!  He allowed the soldiers to beat and murder His Son!  In fact, the Bible said the death of Jesus pleased Him!  Isaiah 53:10 says, "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief."  WOW!  What kind of God enjoys the suffering of those who love Him? 

The answer is, the God who loves us more!  We fail to remember to take Romans 8:28 in its context.  The next verse tells us the reason God allows tragedies in our lives:  "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."  Trials and tribulations in our lives serve to mold us into Christ's likeness!  Just as the suffering of Jesus served a purpose in God's plan, so do the difficulties of life serve a purpose in our lives.  Isaiah 53:10 tells us the reason God allowed Jesus to suffer:  "(God hath made) His soul an offering for (our) sin!"  The Apostle Paul wrote:  "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21)!  The good news is, God raised Him from the grave (1 Cor. 15:20)! 

I don't know about you, but I am glad Jesus died for me!