Text Size: Zoom In

Why is God so Angry?

Mart De Haan Posted by Mart DeHaan
January 5th, 2014
62 Comments » 

DSC02069How are we going to explain to our children and grandchildren an angry, fearsome, merciful, compassionate, beautiful Father?

The thought lingers in the lyrics of the ancient song we’ve been thinking about together. Reflecting on the passing days of our lives, Moses writes,

DSC02076“For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh (Psa 90:9) …Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath (Psa 90:11)… So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days! (Psa 90:12-14)…Let Your work appear to Your servants; and Your glory to their children.  And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us. And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psa 90:16-17).

Over the last few days these words have had me thinking about the story of the Bible—from beginning to end. Back and forth. Trying to understand and represent a God who wants us to think of him as a “consuming fire” full of mercy and compassion.

In the process, I’ve tried to reflect on the first impressions of Genesis and the last breathed prayer of the Revelation of John on Patmos.

I’ve tried to bring everything going forward and backward to what Jesus’ suffering and death tell us about God’s love and anger.

Follow—ChristSeems to me that one reason the love and wrath of God is hard for us to process is that, in our fallen, frightened state of mind, we tend to see anger as hatred and rejection. Yet within the story of the Bible, God’s burning anger is a way of showing how he feels about the sin that is consuming our days, blinding our eyes to how much he loves us…and keeping us from patiently listening to and helping one another.

Hope I’ve said enough… but not too much to help us think through this together.

On another front, the weather here, as in so many places, seems to be moving in with a vengeance. Expecting a lot of snow, wind and record-breaking low temperatures in the next few hours and days.

 

 

 


« Previous: The Relativity of Time Next: Mark of the Forgiven »
Vote on whether you think this post is something you'll be thinking about:
Vote This Post DownVote This Post Up (+26 rating, 26 votes)
Loading...
62 Comments »

Filed in Attributes, cross, fear, God, His Love, Jesus Christ, Judgment, love of God, mercy, Sorrow, Strength, suffering

62 Responses to “Why is God so Angry?”

  1. remarutho says:
    January 5, 2014 at 9:00 am

    Good Morning BTA Friends —

    We are going through a brief, crisp and clear period — as though the coast is exhaling in anticipation of the next Pacific front coming our way with 40-50 degrees and 100% chance of rain.

    Being “angry” is the response of a concerned parent or guardian or loved one. Out of this concern and ardent love comes the severity of punishment. Sometimes a parent will slap little hands — sometimes (s)he will allow the little one experience the danger that will not hurt too much.

    “Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
    for love is as strong as death,
    its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
    It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.

    Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
    If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it would be utterly scorned.” (Song 8:6-7)

    It seems to me, expression of displeasure — anger, and consequences are the behavior of our compassionate God who loves us more deeply than we can understand.

    Blessings,
    Maru

  2. tracey5tgbtg says:
    January 5, 2014 at 9:16 am

    I don’t really see God’s wrath anywhere yet. I’m not even sure what it would look like. Sometimes think wrath would be better than silence.

    Somehow, I just never picture God as angry. Anger, in my experience, implies a feeling of not having control of a situation that is not good. I’ve always felt that God is completely in control.

  3. swwagner says:
    January 5, 2014 at 10:01 am

    Hello All
    Some random thought here:

    I wonder if the word “Angry” as used in the Bible (or at least in these verses) has lost something in translation over the centuries. Could there be subtle shades of meaning in the Greek or Hebrew that did not translate well into English?

    It is a new concept for me to think that God is angry at sin and evil rather than angry at mankind. I mean, I know he is angry about sin, but I always felt that he was angry with me for being sinful. Hmmm…I will have to mull that over some more.

    In reality, there is no reason to be fearful of God once you are his child. He is approachable because of Jesus being sacrificed for us. He is to have our respect and when we finally see him face-to-face, we will be filled with awe and wonder…I don’t see fear as part of that picture. We are allowed to approach the throne boldly. Are we not joint heir with Christ?

  4. SFDBWV says:
    January 5, 2014 at 10:23 am

    How we explain God to our children and grandchildren isn’t nearly as difficult as to explaining Him to fully grown adult people who have already had a lifetime of skewed views and an already molded view of existence.

    It may begin with we ourselves coming to terms with the fact that the same emotions we feel God has stated in Scripture that He feels, the major difference being how He deals with then.

    The big question is *who* is He angry at.

    Whereas I have stated I hate sicknesses such as cancer I love deeply the person who suffers under its effects.

    Is God any different? I think not, I think when he looks at the broken nature of man, what He sees is a sick person under the influence of the sickness.

    The huge and deep theological question is why is there sin in the world? Could not have God created a more perfect world where sin could not get a foothold on its inhabitants?

    Is sin a failure of God’s or a design of God’s?

    One thought comes to mind. God’s first man was a failure, God’s second man, Jesus, a success. God’s first world sickened by sin, His next one to be void of sin and death and hell as these *things* He hates are forever consumed in an eternal fire.

    Is God angry at us? No, He pities us and has made a way for us to join Him forever in that place where there is no sin, no sickness, no tears, no heartache.

    However we have a journey, each of us, that we must travel as He has ordained for us from the beginning of time.

    We must keep our eyes upon the road ahead moving always forward to that goal and our eternal reward.

    Steve

  5. quietgrace says:
    January 5, 2014 at 11:49 am

    Just the other day I was trying to figure out how to explain God and Jesus to a 5 year old who lives in a household of violence and constant anger. Knowing that as children grow they perceive God as their parents or caretakers, and that one day, hopefully, she would be reading the Bible herself and reading about God’s wrath and anger I struggled with how much information to give her. Is she learning that indeed love and anger can coexist in a healthy way, or, is she learning that anger and violence are loveless, painful, and something to try to get away from? As I too was raised in a painful, harsh environment I couldn’t help but recall how learning that I was unconditionally loved at an early age by a God who thought I was like a jewel to Him helped me to navigate some horrible life experiences. So I simply told her that God is always good and loves her and gives her all the good things she has and needs in life. Santa she can relate to at this time of her life, and so it seemed appropriate. I don’t know if or when I will see her again, but from my own experiences growing up of hearing about a loving God know that these stay with one no matter what happens. That even the most horrific traumas pale in comparison to the everlasting love of God in Christ Jesus. The cross was a violent, horrific event planned by God. Was God angry at Jesus or the sin? I had to learn that it is sin He is angry with, not people. The sin that hurts the people He loves; and He loves everyone, even the worst of sinners like me and those who abused me and who are abusing this little girl.

  6. oneg2dblu says:
    January 5, 2014 at 12:06 pm

    Question…How do we explain anything to anyone without bringing our own, “lifetime of skewed views and an already molded view of existence,” and then expect them, with their lifetime of skewed views and already molded view of existance, to then see “our view” as the only true learned one?
    Answer, Only if we are so pridefilled as to think we already know it all.
    We could share our therory, or hypothenuse, our opinion,
    or we can share with them God’s actual word, like using a particular chapter and verse to support our strongly held position, but won’t we still be bringing in our own lifetime of skewed views as we pick and choose for them what they should read and beleive, and what they should ignore, making only our point of veiw our gospel.
    When we are able to swallow our pride, then we can read for ourselves, “All a man’s ways seem right to him.”
    The best we can do is express how we can and do differ from others in our experience, reading, intrepreting, and what we will accept and what we won’t, but it will clearly show itself in time as we do.
    For now we combine the words of man and the words of God and trust through faith in Him, He will display His work in us to ourselves and others, as both not yet complete and still at work in us, because we are still openly surrendered to His Holy Spirit and still able to learn from Him and others.

    Like Paul says, We have not yet attained the prize for the race we are to be running in, but we strain forward to do so.
    My paraphrase… Gary

  7. poohpity says:
    January 5, 2014 at 1:42 pm

    Explaining anything to a child must be done by what is appropriate for the age and the first thing I would certainly say without a doubt this is in my own limited knowledge and as you grow in your own knowledge I would love to hear how you understand all the characteristics of God.

    I do know some of our feelings like anger or wrath are selfish most of the time like getting our feelings hurt or we are told no but those times when we see hurt or harm to another or someone harms us and we are told to stay away from something that will bring harm to us that may be the kind of anger that God feels.

    God seems to want to be a part of every minute of our lives to talk with Him and He will talk back in many ways, sometimes a thought in our heads, sometimes when we hear a song, reading the Bible, sometimes listening to someone teach but what do you think God feels like when people forget about Him, never even remembering He is here all around, all the time? I think that may be another reason God gets angry He is lonely for us.

    I think that may be enough to hold the short attention of a child and knowing little children they may have questions, some of which I will just have to say I do not understand either or I don’t know let’s pray about it and see what God will tells us but we have to wait patiently for the answer.

  8. oneg2dblu says:
    January 5, 2014 at 2:47 pm

    I must admit I do not remember exactly who taught this childhood lesson to me, but it stuck with me all through life, and came back to save me at just the right time, so it was the best teaching of my life, “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.”
    Putting it to music certainly helped make it stick and that song has so far lasted a lifetime.
    So, to me, exposing a child to Sunday school is probably the best lifelong teaching they will ever get, it is as simple as this, Jesus who loves all the little children.
    Gary

  9. quietgrace says:
    January 5, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    Well said and thank you, oneg2dblu! My prayer is to get her to church whether it will be me or? It will be amazing as usual to watch how God brings this little one home, as He did with me.

  10. oneg2dblu says:
    January 5, 2014 at 3:17 pm

    There is another great teacher… our actions as we model what life should look like when we are with them, that is a powerful teacher.
    Christ who loves all children taught this very hard warning, “Anyone who would harm children or lead them astray, it would be better for them to have a millstone hung around their neck and then be thrown into the sea.”
    I do not have the verse handy but the lesson is clear,
    God measures and harbors a great wrath upon those who will defile those He loves, and He loves all the little children of the world. Gary

  11. poohpity says:
    January 5, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    quietgrace, when I was just beginning to read I lived in a home of constant turmoil and anger. I had one of those little white bibles I would go to my room and read Psalm 100 it brought me such peace and comfort. I will pray for the little one and you.

  12. poohpity says:
    January 5, 2014 at 3:52 pm

    If you are in fear for the health and well being of this little girl there are many places that one can call for safety and for yours as well.

  13. quietgrace says:
    January 5, 2014 at 4:20 pm

    Poohpity thankyou. I gave her a toddlers’ Bible last year and although she is barely beginning to read my hope was that her parents would read to her and learn about Jesus too. I remember memorizing Psalm 100 and 23 in Sunday School when I was sent in the 2nd grade and those were the first verses I recalled when I came to Jesus at the age of 30. I am not in fear for my life or hers, but her parents are very against any teaching/talk about God. When she hears the word God at home it’s only used as a swear word, of course. Her dad was raised in a Christian home but is now a prodigal . Her mom has only ever been in a church for weddings and funerals and has never read the Bible. I really appreciate your prayers!!!

  14. belleu says:
    January 5, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    “…we tend to see anger as hatred and rejection.” I would say that is my problem with anger. It is hard for me to see any good at all in anger.

    I would guess Jesus was angry when he turned over the money tables at the temple. He was angry his temple was being used to make money and called the people at the tables “thieves” so they must have been taking advantage of the people. In the Old Testament, God has said he is angry at how the rich treat the poor. I’ve heard this called “righteous anger.”

    Maybe God’s anger seems scary because of the times he killed thousands of people in the Old Testament. I know most of those ancient nations sacrificed children to their gods, and did many other horrible things. Then there were the times God killed some Jewish people on their trek through the wilderness because of their disobedience. I will say that when I was young I thought God might kill me for sinning.

    But there are also just as many stories of God’s forgiveness in the Bible – like with David, Mannasah, and Adam & Eve.

    I do find the Old Testament full of God’s patience and love for us. He warns and warns for years and yet people don’t usually listen. He tells us how he feels about giving up on people: Hosea 11:8 As Mart says, God’s anger is his way of showing how he feels about sin. It is too important for Him to just sit back and watch.

  15. Regina says:
    January 5, 2014 at 11:57 pm

    Good Evening All,
    I hope all is well with you today. Off topic here… I enjoyed the sermon (Word) that my Pastor shared with us today. He spoke on “Transformation,” and it was very enlightening for me. I also gain spiritual insight and enjoy reading the Daily Bread devotional and “My Utmost For His Highest” devotional. Mart, I love the pics in this blog post. Hopefully, I’ll have some time to share my thoughts on your intro comment and other comments this week.

  16. SFDBWV says:
    January 6, 2014 at 7:15 am

    Am trying to separate out my thoughts this morning amidst the continuous heart breaking comments from Matt that no one likes him. That he has no purpose, that he wants to be dead.

    All the while awaiting the bitter cold that is coming today and the snow that is preceding it.

    Life is a struggle from the moment of conception to the last gasp of air.

    What we tell or teach our children will either cripple them or prepare them for whatever life throws at them.

    How can we teach them of God when we ourselves don’t really know God well enough to be settled in our own hearts as what to do with the other side of love?

    The opposite of angry is happy; when is God happy with us?

    I can look around me as any of you can and see plenty of people whose actions should make God happy, yet these same people seem to suffer the effects of a fallen world more than those who it would seem should make God angry.

    In the wilderness God ordered the *cleansing* of His people and did Himself kill off many thousands of them because of what seemed to us as a trivial matter. It would seem He was “angry”.

    God killed all the people in all the earth along with all the creatures that weren’t aboard the Ark, it would seem He was angry.

    Even after the coming of Jesus and the establishment of the Church, it would seem that two believers who were accused of lying to the Holy Spirit died as a result, was that God’s doings or just their fears?

    The *fear* of God is the beginning of wisdom, it is said; can a person get too comfortable with their perception of God that they lose that reverence and fear of God and replace it with the idea that He’s just there to give them every thing they want?

    If you want to know how or what to teach anyone, teach them the full truth and let them sort it out for themselves.

    Steve

  17. remarutho says:
    January 6, 2014 at 8:55 am

    Good Morning BTA Friends –

    Joy at the Epiphany of the Lord!

    Mart, you wrote:
    “God’s burning anger is a way of showing how he feels about the sin that is consuming our days, blinding our eyes to how much he loves us…and keeping us from patiently listening to and helping one another.” (thank-you)

    And, Quietgrace, you wrote:
    “…I couldn’t help but recall how learning that I was unconditionally loved at an early age by a God who thought I was like a jewel to Him helped me to navigate some horrible life experiences.”
    (thank-you)

    Somehow, we members of humankind no matter our age, manage to hold these two character qualities of God together in our hearts and minds. At some point in our development, we take our eyes off our own knee-jerk emotional reactions to censure and begin to listen to:

    the message of Scripture,

    the believing cohort surrounding us,

    and our own transformed hearts.

    In His Holy Love,
    Maru

  18. remarutho says:
    January 6, 2014 at 9:01 am

    Prayers going up this morning for so many enduring the killing cold that has come to the Midwest and East of the USA. Good day to stay indoors. Blessings, Maru

  19. poohpity says:
    January 6, 2014 at 9:58 am

    I think Moses said a very insightful message in Psalm 90:14 NIV by being first satisfied by God’s mercy the others lessons seem easier to understand. If you think about it we first receive God’s mercy often times before we search deeper for Him then we understand that His anger seems to be based on the behavior not the one committing it, the sin not the sinner.

    Moses was hiding from killing the Egyptian and being found out yet God showed him mercy before the burning bush and gave him purpose. We all seem to hide from the things we do cause we worry about what another will say or think of us but God knows it all and yet sent Jesus to satisfy God’s anger and wrath.

    So understanding that mercy early in our lives or whatever time is just like Moses said that is what brings us joy.

  20. poohpity says:
    January 6, 2014 at 4:16 pm

    Wow most of you all are in such freezing weather. Stay in the warm and snuggle up. I can not even imagine it being that cold even in Florida, never have seen it this cold all over.

  21. belleu says:
    January 6, 2014 at 5:19 pm

    Steve, I am so sorry about Matt and am still praying for him.

    I believe God would only kill those whose character is evil and will never repent. Sinful people are toxic and infect everyone around them. But God was even merciful to King Ahab, who was an evil man, because Ahab once humbled himself to God. Even after that, Ahab didn’t change.

    My granddaughter asked me once, “Why can’t everyone go to heaven?” I told her that those people who like to kill, lie and steal would still like to do those things in heaven if they never gave their lives to God. She accepted this explanation.

    I think it is better not to tell children of God’s anger at sin. Better just to tell them of God’s love for them. I think it is good to tell children that every sin hurts other people and that is why we shouldn’t sin.

  22. poohpity says:
    January 6, 2014 at 6:26 pm

    I believe everyone can go to heaven but first they must ask Jesus to given them a bath. I thought that was cute to tell kids.

  23. oneg2dblu says:
    January 6, 2014 at 8:03 pm

    Here’s my take…God is angry at all the darkness that sin brings into the world of man who chooses to live in the darkness of sin rather then choosing to live in the light of righteousness all the while knowing the difference.
    Living in conscious repetitive sin, not an accidental slip or an occasional failure, but choosing a lifestyle of disobedience can never be pleasing to a Holy God.
    He is not angry with those who live in the light and choose to live righteously and in obedience to His word and where repentance for a slip is available.
    Right living is a choice, just as living in sin is a choice, but if you Choose to sin, you choose to suffer.
    However, God’s anger with us today in this Age of Grace still has His Grace component mixed with it.
    So, His anger today is a righteous anger as He is justifiably right in His anger with all mankind’s chosen disobedience.
    To me, His Wrath, is that unrestorable event that does not have that Grace component where any repentance is still available, it is a finality of His power acted upon to destroy evil, not forgive and rehabilitate.
    His Wrath is beyond just his anger, it is the final judgment rendered upon those things that will never see any other resolve.
    The wrath of God was used in the flood, and none that were exposed to His wrath ever survived that event.
    So to me anger is displeasure, where wrath is a hatred of evil beyond any reconciliation once it has been applied.
    God’s Anger can still have patience applied, where God’s wrath is where God’s patience has reached its end.
    As others have said, anger is more of an emotion, where one can still go to anger management classes, or get it resolved and correct it. Even repent and be restored.
    But God’s wrath reaches a total point of intolerance where His action has already taken place out of an anger which has escalated to righteous hatred and is beyond any repair.
    Having said all that, anything God chooses to do whether out of anger or wrath is righteous and perfect, and without any needed justifying to anyone, even if we can not understand it, and of course, He can destroy or restore anything He wants. :)
    Gary

  24. SFDBWV says:
    January 7, 2014 at 6:30 am

    Would like to hear from our friends in Canada, as well as Mart and Bruce this morning, We are not too bad at -12 and moving towards -13 as I write this morning, seen lots worse, but today isn’t supposed to warm up much if at all.

    I haven’t much more to say of our subject, it seems if I say more I most likely will be repeating myself.

    The thing is if you want to make a study of God’s anger and His wrath one can simply read of it in Scripture and see then what it was that made Him *angry*.

    Have found in most cases that if you get angry enough you come to a place where you become numb to it and either stay away from the source of anger or just don’t let it have control of you anymore.

    Even after God killed everyone in all the earth because it had become utterly evil, evil wasn’t defeated as a result, only at the cross did God win and evil lose.

    Even though we see evil played out continually in our world today, God is simply giving mankind time to come home before putting an end to all things evil.

    Steve

  25. BruceC says:
    January 7, 2014 at 7:15 am

    Thanks for your concerns Steve; they are deeply appreciated. We lost power from 3:55AM until 6:10AM. But they had said it would be off until about 9:00. Thank the Lord for those power crews that are out in frigid temps and high winds repairing the lines. My wife and I are always concerned about the elderly, sick, and those without a “plan” when this happens. Its been years since we had an outage in winter. Temps did not get as cold as where you are, but tonight they will be. Very bad chill factors though because of high gusty winds. We have wood heat, lanterns, gas stoves and lots of water ready. Thank God!! His power never has an outage!!!

    When I think about God’s anger and wrath I think to the times of Noah. The Word doesn’t give specific details about just how bad humanity had sunk, but it must have been pretty awful because Christ said the earth would once again experience those days before His return. A new movie has been made about Noah. Not sure when it will out. Very well known actor playing the lead, but I forget his name.
    When I think of God’s anger I see it differently than human anger. His is always righteous and ours is not. His is out of love and a need for correction or to get attention to sin and rebellion. Human anger is usually selfish. His purposes are always pure, while man’s is usually not. I am thankful that Christ saved me from God’s wrath. To reject God’s love is the ultimate form of rebellion.

    BruceC
    Soli Deo Gloria!

  26. SFDBWV says:
    January 7, 2014 at 9:08 am

    Glad to hear from you Bruce. The suns been up here a hour or more, but we are still at -11 degrees. Very windy.

    When I went out this morning to feed the critters I put on my ski mask as well as my bright orange toboggan, but even with very heavy duty gloves my fingers began to hurt with in 5 minutes or so.

    Mornings like this reminded me of the years I worked in the coal mines and had to travel in and out of the long frigid entrance tunnel, when it got to these temperatures combined with the ventilation fans drawing ice cold air into our exit at the rates of thousands of feet per minute, it would get very very cold. I wore a ski make even then, but ice would form all over the breathing area and those with mustaches had ice frozen all over them as well.

    I am glad those days are over (somewhat).

    We lost power last year at Halloween from the hurricane sandy that dumped about 3 feet of snow on us. Thank God we didn’t have these temperatures as I was without power for a week, but others here had to wait two weeks before all power was restored.

    I pray no one has to endure sure a disruption in their survival today.

    Be blessed Bruce.

    Steve

  27. remarutho says:
    January 7, 2014 at 9:19 am

    Good Morning All —

    Our cold snap of about 22 deg. F has passed & we are on a steep warming trend — 45 to 50 deg. today w/rain. The Japan current is the factor that “warms” us on the Pacific Coast, and dumps tons of moisture.

    Joining my prayers with all those who are asking for the Lord’s covering over the vulnerable, frail and elderly these days. Grateful to hear of warming centers in the Northern Tier and folks checking on their neighbors.

    Maru

  28. poohpity says:
    January 7, 2014 at 9:20 am

    belleu talked about what Mart wrote about people who are angry with us display hate and/or rejection. That is so very true. Rather than talking things out so the other knows why someone is angry most often in so many adult relationships is missing. Silence and rejection then relationships are ruined. God on the other hand wants a relationship with us it seems even when He may get angry we can depend on restoration as we see through Jesus. God seems to ask the same for us for restored relationships, getting angry and rejecting others is not showing mercy, kindness or grace which shows the absence of God in one’s life.

    I can not remember once but that does not mean there isn’t one in the Bible where there is not an explanation to God’s anger. God’s compassionate mercy is seen in the OT time and time again and to me the sense of His continual pursuit of mankind. I wonder how much respect we would have for God if we did not know He was just and always thinking about the good of all.

  29. poohpity says:
    January 7, 2014 at 9:24 am

    The strange thing is, it is us when we do wrong that rejects or tries to hide from God not the other way around.

  30. poohpity says:
    January 7, 2014 at 9:42 am

    I think that is true for people too! It seems the one who pulls back from the relationship is usually in the wrong somehow. I think maybe the question should be, “Why are people so angry?” and we confuse our type of anger onto God.

  31. oneg2dblu says:
    January 7, 2014 at 12:05 pm

    To keep up with the current weather reports…It was 38 this morning in sunny/tropical Florida and highs projected in the 50s for later today.
    However, the house is over fifty years old and today is having an upgrade of the main power breaker which will result in no power/heat for most of the day, even if everything goes as planned.
    Back to the word… If God is to be Our Father and we are His Children then certainly all emotion even anger and how we deal with it, is surely part of what is involed in this ongoing personal relationship.
    So, I’m not one to say thst God’s snger is not both an emotional response, or unwarranted.
    Funny how we who are created in His Image, and are the only species who can not only have anger, but hate as well.
    The bible talks about anger and how it can grow to overtake us if not properly dealt with.
    Gary

  32. SFDBWV says:
    January 7, 2014 at 12:28 pm

    I recieved an email from Pat and she says it is -22 there right now in Canada where she lives and was -30 last night…ugh.

    Steve

  33. belleu says:
    January 7, 2014 at 12:49 pm

    I live in Western Canada where the weather is usually mild compared with the rest of the country. It is now 27 degrees F. I’ve been praying for the people who are in this awful cold. I told my husband we should buy a camp stove, propane, and lots of bottled water in case anything like that happened here.

    About anger again: I was thinking about how angry I feel when I hear of a child being abused or the rich hurting the poor. I truly hate sin when I hear of these things. I don’t watch the news much because I get so angry and upset. I can understand how God is angry at sin.

  34. cherielyn says:
    January 7, 2014 at 5:31 pm

    Steve,

    Matt has been in my prayers ever since I started reading BTA a few years ago. It breaks my heart to hear that he feels no one likes him, that he has no purpose & wishes he were dead. Obviously he is in a deep depression and it has been long term.

    Recently my daughter recommended something for my son, Mike. It is a 6 CD set called, “How to Experience Victory Over Depression” – a Biblical Approach to Emotional Conflict by Bob George. I think there might be a companion book, but not sure. I wonder if it would be helpful to Matt? I would be willing to send a copy if I had an address to send it to.

    Please tell Matt that even though we have never met, I care about him & that he has been in my prayers for a long time.

    As long as Matt is here, God has a purpose for him, even though he might not recognize what that purpose is. For one thing, I believe it is a great encouragement to others, that Matt has been so successful in losing weight, in spite of his handicap. Some of us without handicaps struggle with weight lose. If Matt can do it, we should be able to also.

    Love in Christ,

    Cheryl

  35. lovely says:
    January 8, 2014 at 2:22 am

    Hello everyone
    God’s anger portrayed His character Psalm 11:7 For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face. Because we are created in the image of God we’ll get angry when we see injustice. Something in you that tell you this is not right. Question is how do we deal with this anger? We can let the anger rule over us or put it on the cross. He is a God of justice the cross demonstrate that, He is a God of justice & yet not willing to see His creation die because of sin.
    Moses saw that His anger, How a Holy God cannot stand the presence of sin Just like Isaiah saw the glory of God and realize he is a man of unclean lips.
    Psalm 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
    Psalm 36:5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
    Having Said that Divine sovereignty does not exclude humane responsibility, I admit sometimes in surge of anger I let my feelings get carried away & do foolish things in anger. But I learned that Christ died on the cross not so I can continue sinning but that I will stop sinning & be free from that bondage of sin.
    I believe to teach children we must be a testimony first. I must experience His love before I can share about it. Yet how amazing to realize that children sometimes teach me with their simple faith in accepting God’s love. They don’t figure things out they just believe . A childlike faith is very important.
    Mark 10:15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
    Just my thoughts
    lovely

  36. lovely says:
    January 8, 2014 at 2:23 am

    its the rainy season here. I don’t experience snow here
    from a tropical country

  37. SFDBWV says:
    January 8, 2014 at 7:25 am

    Cheryl, thank you so very much for your love and concern for Matthew, it is very much appreciated.

    I will have Glenna find the book you’ve mentioned and get a copy.

    One of the startling things I have experienced is the stark logic Matthew has when dealing with his situation, all the while my having to deal with the things that slip past his ability or desire to understand.

    I have seen others who suffer under traumatic brain injury and in so many ways Matthew is far better off than many of the ones I have seen, it is truly a blessing for Matthew to *almost* be healed.

    It is the almost that is the most frustrating for him and me as well. I forget sometimes he is broken and get upset when he shows that he isn’t.

    When Matt first was in the intensive care unit of the hospital and I was first permitted to visit with him, the first ting I told him was that dad was there and Jesus had already healed him all he needed to do was wake up and get out of that bed.

    He began trying to from that time forward. As he began to wake some month later, he would lift his right arm and kick with his right leg for as long as he was awake. I attached theraban strips to his side rails so he could have something to hold onto with his right hand as he pulled and stretched his arm while awake those several minutes every hour or so and told him if he continued to do all he could the rest would follow.

    All the while I and many different people would pray over Matthew and during the stay at the hospital we had two amazing encounters with angels.

    The first was only about two days into this nightmare; I was in the ICU room with Matt and could see a woman standing outside the glass looking at Matt and smiling. She appeared to maybe be a doctor as the uniform she wore was similar to what doctors wore there. She had blond hair pulled back in a bun and had her gaze fixed on Matt as she smiled.

    I though it was nice and turned my attention back to Matt, but when I turned again she was still there, with an intense expression on her face and even though she said not a word I could *hear* her expression. “I am so very happy for you Matthew’ I am so very pleased for you.” The she turned her face toward me and with a sad look on her face said no more.

    I turned away from her confused as to what was going on and looking at Matt I once again looked back in her direction and she was gone.

    After being there in the ICU for a month I got to know all the people there and soon recognized that they all wore uniforms to denote their particular jobs, Matt’s lady wore none of them and I never seen her again.

    This is getting too long, so I will tell more on another post, but let me just say that it has been almost 15 years for Matthew to see an end to his torment and I understand his wanting for it to be over, one way or the other.

    I tell him continually he has purpose and it begins by the fact we live for each other and that many people are encouraged by Matt. It works for a moment and I know that is all Jesus promises us, this moment right now so we take it not day by day but moment by moment as I am sure you and many others do as well.

    Thank you again for your love and prayers.

    Steve

  38. SFDBWV says:
    January 8, 2014 at 7:34 am

    Cheryl, I read your comments to Matt, he says thank you.

    Steve

  39. SFDBWV says:
    January 8, 2014 at 9:50 am

    Cheryl, Matt just finished his weight lifting on his bench and while setting in his wheel chair and is kicked back in his big recliner resting. It is now when I get such things done as eat, if I’m going to get to and any other chores that may be needing attention.

    So if you’ll be patient with me I will continue my little story.

    Nearly a month into living in a cubical in a hallway at the ICU unit we got very familiar with all the other families that were in the same or similar fix as were we. One afternoon after having been *permitted* to visit Matt as I returned to our cubical there was a woman in a wheelchair there talking with our new friends.

    As soon as I came through the swinging doors they all began saying at once Steve, Steve, this person is here for you. The woman in the wheelchair looked up at me and said “I’m here to tell you not to believe anything these doctors tell you, they do not know who the healer is.”

    She then ask if she could visit Matt, I said yes but we need to get permission from the nurse, she said no we don’t and she wheeled herself right through the doors as I followed her back to Matt’s bed. She stood up out of her wheelchair and whispered something into Matt’s ear and after a brief visit we left. I took her up stairs to another floor and she said she could go from there. She told me her name and some of her story for why she was there.

    That very day Matt began to show signs of waking up.

    Shortly after we were out of the hospital and Matt home, we tried to find the nice lady in the wheelchair, but there was no record of her anywhere.

    Nearly two years later as I had Matt down at the rehabilitation hospital as an out patient in Winchester VA, while talking to the mother of a young woman Matt’s age and in similar condition, I started to tell her about the lady in the wheelchair and she said when I repeated what the woman had told me was her name that that wasn’t the name she had told her…She had had nearly the same experience at different hospitals and different times.

    I should also say that on that long drive to the hospital the night of Matt’s wreck, God spoke clearly to me and simply said “Matt will be fine.”

    There are a great many more stories we have encountered during these past 14 years, but Matt wonders where is God and why won’t He heal him.

    The battle that rages in Matt is wondering why God hasn’t healed Him, and what purpose could his suffering have for him? Matt’s logic says that either God doesn’t care or doesn’t exist.

    Matt has good questions, and the only answers I can give him is that I love him and that we live for each other not for ourselves.

    Mart De Haan has ask “why is God so angry” Matt asks where is God and believes He doesn’t care or doesn’t exist. Both good logical questions.

    Steve

  40. quietgrace says:
    January 8, 2014 at 10:44 am

    Steve thank you for your testimony of God’s presence in our lives even in the difficult times. I understand your son’s feelings, even Jesus while on the cross asked His Father why He had abandoned Him. It’s human and natural to feel this way. Fortunately, though, our feelings do not dictate God’s love and constant attention to us. As one who has damaged emotions I can assure you and your son that God doesn’t always heal the way we would like Him to, but does use us in spite of our weakness, like He did Paul. Whether in a bed of affliction literally or figuratively, God is good and his ways are far greater than we could even imagine. I pray your son will make peace with God and learn to accept today, as today is all we have.

    God bless you for your love, care, and support of your son. Many would have abandoned him-and some probably have, but, as God does not abandon us, you have shown yourself to be the love of God in the flesh
    to your son, and to the rest of us who watch and listen to you.

  41. poohpity says:
    January 8, 2014 at 11:10 am

    It sounds like there has been much healing in Matt’s life since those days in ICU. Sometimes healing is done over time. I just wonder if Matt is not stuck around a bunch of old people and I would feel depressed about that too.

  42. SFDBWV says:
    January 8, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    Cheryl Matt is in his shower and I don’t have much time, but I wanted to pass this along to you.

    As I was getting Matt in to his shower seat, he looked up at me and said “Dad tonight when we say prayers we have to remember that lady on the blog (You), I reminded him your name was Cheryl and he said ok.

    See this is the mixture of sadness and joy we experience all the day long, so you my friend made his list.

    Quietgrace, thank you for your kind words, we will talk more when I have more time.

    Pooh m
    Matt thinks he’s an old man now and tells everyone such, smiling…

    Steve

  43. belleu says:
    January 8, 2014 at 4:24 pm

    Thank you for sharing your experience with angels, Steve. My heart and prayers go out to Matt and you also. I pray God will have his hand upon all of us.

    I was just reading Thessalonians this morning. Those early Christians were persecuted, lost their property and some were killed for leaving idols and following Christ. It seems strange that is how they were rewarded for their faith – but Paul said he had warned them of it and also how much he himself had suffered.

    I don’t remember in all the years I went to church of being warned of suffering. It seems like most sermons were about how great life would be when you became a Christian. Perhaps churches need to focus more on suffering and how to handle it and how it will come to all of us. Through their books, Philip Yancey and C.S.Lewis were the ones to help me come to terms with my suffering and loss.

    If only Matt knew what peace comes from accepting our lives the way they are. Life is no longer a struggle. Realizing God knows what he is doing makes everything better; and really, that is all God told Job about his suffering – that He is a God who understands everything and everything He does works out for good.

  44. poohpity says:
    January 8, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    Yes belleu, in the Bible that is the one of the things we are promised that there will be suffering, sorrows and trials because of our fallen world. When I first started my relationship with God I thought that everything was going to be easier

    Today I was watching a program and a little girl asked her mom, “Why is God so angry?” the mom replied I think God gets so sick and tired of all the bull. I just cracked up. If you think about it we do things that we were warned about that would cause harm and separation from God and others, we complain and grumble rather than being grateful, we do not go to God with everything or trust and depend in Him then when things go haywire we wonder where is God and why does He let bad things happen. We do not ask for God’s Will or His direction then when things get messed up it is His fault. So we really do give Him bull all the time and He still loves us that is so amazing.

  45. poohpity says:
    January 8, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    oops did not finish the sentence, lol. going to be easier but going through things got easier and it seems they were not as bad as they could have been, they did not disappear but how I looked at stuff was so different. There were more problems just associated with being a Christian like rejection from family who seemed to accept me more when I was using drugs and drinking. Some of them picked on my sons for talking about the Bible, sad part was we did not preach to them just accepted them for who they were but they did not do that with us. I sure would rather go through things with God than without Him.

  46. SFDBWV says:
    January 9, 2014 at 6:37 am

    One of many things I have learned in life is to not ever think I can speak for God, unless He directs me to, and to listen cautiously to any one who speaks as if they do.

    There is an old adage that says if you don’t like the weather just wait a little while and it will change.

    Have you ever wondered what goldfish may think of the world outside of their little fish tank world?

    I don’t want any of you to think that Matthew, Glenna and I live a life of constant sorrows, quite the contrary. We enjoy what of life we can and appreciate the many blessings God provides for us; blessings that overflow for the benefit of others.

    I could spend hours, days and weeks here typing out a lifetime of how God has interacted with me as well as allowing me to see His work in others. Some of which makes for fascinating reading; yet I don’t think of a time when I felt God was angry with me. Definitely disappointed, maybe frustrated with me, but never angry.

    Yes, like Matt there have been times I felt abandoned by Him, only to discover He was working out my rescue even before I needed rescued.

    I must remember all the good things God has done and dwell on that as evidence that in a tough spot or during a dark day God is still there and with the morning comes the dawn.

    It never got out of the negative numbers Tuesday, but warmed up to a balmy 27 Wednesday and of course snowed last night and is 15 as I write; however there will be rain by tomorrow and near 50 this weekend.

    If you think you have God figured out, just wait a little while and He will surprise you.

    Steve

  47. cbrown says:
    January 9, 2014 at 9:26 am

    Steve,thank you for the Light!

  48. SFDBWV says:
    January 9, 2014 at 10:01 am

    You are very welcome, cbrown.

    Steve

  49. remarutho says:
    January 9, 2014 at 10:31 am

    Good Morning All —

    Pacific front is trundling onshore here. Rain and 45-55 deg F. forecast today.

    It seems to me when we humbly go to our knees if we “feel” God frowning, asking to understand, in some measure of time we will come to realize that God acts only out of unfathomable love. The persistent darkness of the world obscures this so often, in my experience at least.

    Death and sin are defeated enemies — and we will see the completion of Jesus’ mighty work…

    Blessings,
    Maru

  50. poohpity says:
    January 9, 2014 at 11:39 am

    I thought we were asked to speak for God to tell about what He has done in our lives and His wonders by sharing the Good News and teaching His Word until folks mature in their faith and begin to seek, knock and ask on their own.

    I have never thought about what a goldfish might think being stuck in a prison of the small bowl, who’s very survival depends on it’s owner to feed it and give it clean water. I would think it knows nothing except it’s small bowl and the contained life it’s owner has chosen for it. The owner would have to be the One to show it mercy by either getting other fishies to live in the bowl and getting a bigger bowl with different things to play with and around or to put it in a lake to free it. The fish it’s self knows nothing different than what it is was bred to do, live in a small bowl. It can be the big fish in the small bowl or be a small fish in a bigger bowl with others.

  51. phpatato says:
    January 9, 2014 at 12:34 pm

    Quietgrace

    I love you so much for those beautiful kind words spoken to Steve and Matt. They brought tears to my eyes. Thank you my Dear loving sister(?) in Christ. xo

    Steve, those words…. as always…xo

    God Bless each of you. May God’s love melt the cold in peoples’ lives this day.

  52. quietgrace says:
    January 9, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    phpatato,
    Thank you, it’s the kindness of God felt through impossible circumstances that taught me those words. To know the depth of God’s mercy in the most banal of circumstances is truly a gift, and my Friend Jesus knows all about it.
    May He bless all of you today as well, Grace (ms)

  53. blestsparrow says:
    January 9, 2014 at 3:15 pm

    Be ye angry and sin not. (Ephesians 4:26) Is God saying here we can be angry and sin not. I think so, we can be angry with evil, angry with injustices, sins of ourselves and sins of others, be angry of idolatry, angry with those who make merchandise of God’s truths for their own gain etc….

    God is plenty in mercy and slow to anger. God says he will not retain his anger forever(Psalm 30:5), that is if he or we should retain our anger ongoing it would please and gratify the devil and consume us + (and give us ulcers :-)

    Then he reminds us to let not the sun go down upon our wrath. That is we must’nt let a night of sleep come until we have prayed about our anger, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. (Eccl.7:9)

    Have you ever been abound folks who were always angry? There spirit and countenance was anger. I stay shy of those individuals…. (gets sorta lonely sometimes) But God tells us to steer clear of an angry man, lest you pick up his habits. I’ve even sat under Preachers who were angry, their spirit was like vinegar.

    I get angry with my special needs child when she has done something I told her not to do, because I knew if she did it, it would place her in harms way. Anger can be a healthy emotion if channeled with God’s love.

    I believe God’s anger is channeled thru pure eyes, pure spirit and pure love. (Psalm 30:5)

  54. poohpity says:
    January 9, 2014 at 3:32 pm

    Amen!!

  55. foreverblessed says:
    January 9, 2014 at 6:26 pm

    What a difficult question, what to say? Thanks for all your comments, especially Steve, tell Matt I love him, and often pray for him, and for all of you.
    Pat, nice to hear from you again, hold on in the cold. Over here in western Europe, we have had the warmest January day ever since they kept a record. Some trees start to blossom again.
    I saw a film on You tube called Rain, by a pastor who tells about him walking with his babyboy on his back, around a lake, and then a thunderstorm starts half way. He walks with the little boy, who starts to cry, is getting very frigthened. Then he takes the little boy from his back, and hold him close to his heart, and he whispers in his ears, all the time through the storm: I love you, and we are going to make it. I love you, and we are going to make it.
    It is a beautiful story, of how God treats us. We might think: God can take the storm away, give us peace, just with a magic wand. But if He doesn’t, He chooses to walk with us through the storm.
    We could think, He is angry with us, but who will tell Him what He should do?

    C.S. Lewis also spoke to my heart years ago, when he explained: when one becomes a christian then God is very close, and speaks clearly. But after a while, when we mature as christian, He withdraws.
    He waits at a distance, so the make us stronger, and more mature. That is the time we must persevere. So there is a lot of encouragement in the NT to persevere, to hold on.

  56. poohpity says:
    January 10, 2014 at 11:22 am

    Steve, did the chemical spill effect you all?

  57. SFDBWV says:
    January 10, 2014 at 2:02 pm

    Pooh, no the chemical spill into the Elk River is very far south of us, at least 2/3rds the length of the state from where we are located.

    Thank you for your concern.

    I only use spring water to drink and cook with; even our treated city water system which feeds water to several communities is a spring fed reservoir.

    There are not many creeks and rivers in West Virginia that aren’t polluted from some form of mine drainage, only the eastern side of the Allegheny’s escapes coal mining’s negative effects.

    There is a large DuPont chemical plant there in Kanawha county and I would suppose the source of the spill?

    Steve

  58. bubbles says:
    January 10, 2014 at 5:50 pm

    Steve, It’s not DuPont. There are many plants that line the Kanawha River. From what the news says, the spill was in the Elk that dumps into Kanawha.

  59. Artle says:
    January 11, 2014 at 1:26 am

    I’ve tried a dozen or more comments to no avail. The only thing I can come up with is, I did not know God was angry? How does anger mix with Grace. I can see His anger historically and I can imagine His anger to come, but I do not have an answer for the question, “Why is God so Angry?”

    I think many people would ask the question, “Why is God not angry?” at everything that goes on and the answer would likely be that He is not willing that any should perish.

    Grace abounds, at least for now.

  60. Mart De Haan says:
    January 11, 2014 at 5:17 am

    Thank you Steve and all for opening up your hearts and lives to one another.

    These must be some of the reasons that the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed.

  61. SFDBWV says:
    January 11, 2014 at 6:03 am

    Your too are quite welcome Mart; I have lots to thank you for. One being RBC’s calendars. We always buy several and give them away as Christmas gifts. We like the big day squares that allows for writing down reminders in and of course the beautiful pictures and daily nudge to each verse of Scripture.

    This blog and your unenviable task of keeping it fresh.

    Your friendship.

    I had best stop as I don’t want to give you the big head and cause you to topple over this morning.

    Personally I think when people are able to discuss the topics from a personal experience of life instead of only quoting Scripture, somehow because it is more personal; it finds a more comfortable place in our hearts and minds.

    Rain and 35 this morning…

    Steve

  62. poohpity says:
    January 11, 2014 at 8:27 am

    I wonder if when they quote scripture if it is not because they have applied it to their lives and found it to be true so it is personal. Just a thought.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.