Where is God when People Suffer?

In California, fires are still raging. Latest reports state that over 500,000 people have been evacuated, over 2,500 homes and structures have burned to the ground, losses are exceeding over 1 billion dollars and with the couple found dead in their San Diego home this morning, the number of those who have lost their lives continues to increase.

Families are grieving, people have lost all their possessions and family heirlooms, firefighters and others have been severely injured, some agonizing with burns over much of their bodies. So many thousands of people are suffering. And where is God?

Where is God when people are suffering? Where is God when we are in pain? Where is God when tragedy strikes? And what can be said to those who have lost so much?

Walt Whitman once said "I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person."

It strikes me that with a world in distress...God came and suffered along with humanity. Jesus became the wounded person.

There are no easy answers to our cries as tragedy surrrounds us. But these are questions I compelled to speak about as we gather this coming Sunday. Until then, let's commit ourselves to prayer for all who are affected by the fires.

["Where is God When People Suffer," sermon 10.28.07, Good Shepherd UMC, Westminster, CA]