What Should God Do?

 Greg Koukl

      When some tragedy strikes, people ask "Where was God?" I ask "What precisely did you expect God to do?  If you were in His place, what would you do?"  If you would use your power to stop evil, would you punish it or prevent it?  Either choice presents you with problems.

      One reason God doesn't wipe out all evil immediately is that the alternative would be worse.  This becomes evident by asking a simple question:  If God heard your prayer to eliminate evil and destroyed it all at midnight tonight, where would you be at 12:01?

The discomfiting reality is that evil deeds can never be isolated from the evil doer.  Our prints are on the smoking gun.  Each one of us is guilty in some capacity, and we know it. 

      That's the problem.  Any judicial action God would take today would pin us all under the gavel.  When God wipes out evil, He's going to do a complete job.  C. S. Lewis soberly observed, "I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realize what it will be like when He does....When the author walks on the stage the play is over."

      No, God hasn't banished evil from His kingdom--yet.  The Bible describes a time when God will wipe away every tear and repair the effects of evil on the world.   Men will no longer endure the ravages of wickedness or be victimized by evil seemingly out of control.  And no one will ever ask the question, "Where was God?"

      Until then, God has chosen a different strategy, a better plan, one that's moral on a higher level.  It's a plan that ultimately deals with evil, but allows room for mercy as well.  It's called forgiveness.

      And that’s what God is doing.