There is a verse, however, that might cause some to take exception...."Suffering children are safe in Your arms." Whenever I encounter so seemingly blatant contradictions I feel a part of my heart shuttering. We know there are children suffering everywhere and not safe at all! So how can we sing a praise song to God that declares, "Your mercy flows like a river wide." We might be able to justify the suffering of adults, but children.....? Never!
I have three sons that I tried to protect quite diligently....
....perhaps a little too much at times if you asked them. It broke my heart whenever they were sick or hurt physically or emotionally. I have to believe God weeps, too, whenever any of His children--especially the little ones--suffer.
When scripture speaks of being protected from all evil, it does not refer to acts of evil, but rather the Evil one. God desires that none are lost to the Evil one and He moves Heaven and Earth to bring us to Him so that we will be protected for all eternity in His loving care. We will all suffer in some way or another--some more than others--here on earth. And just like my children learned lessons from some of their hurts (don't stand on arms of couches or you'll break your arm!) God uses our suffering to teach us the consequences of our actions. But more than any of that He shows us our need of Him. And once we realize this, gratitude will spring up from our hearts and we will be able to declare, "There is None Like You!"
Father, may I never forget that you are working all things for good.
Link to scripture: John 17:15
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