Where was God?

This was sent to me and I felt I should share it.


WHERE WAS GOD?

"I know you're mad at Me right now. That's
alright. People have been mad at Me before
and will be again. Being mad is part of
being human. My Son got mad, too. It's
alright to be mad sometimes at injustice,
for example, or the lack of charity."

"You probably think I am unjust and uncharitable
when an airplane goes down like that. All those
people lost. The children gone. It doesn't seem
right; it can't be loving. You ask, 'Where was
God?' Why did He allow that to happen?"

"I allow it to happen because I allow you freedom.
I could have put you on a string and made you
dance all day without getting tired. I could have
moved your mouth for you and made you sing all night
without growing hoarse. I could have pulled a wire
that would have let you soar skyward and never
fall."

"I could have, but I didn't because I love you so
much. I want you to be free to decide when to dance
and sing. Free to determine when you will come
to Me in faith and hope. Because you are free, some
of you choose not to dance or sing. Some of you
select hatred over love, revenge over forgiveness,
bombs over a helping hand. As you choose, I watch.
I do not disappear. I listen to both the songs and
the bombs.
AND I REMEMBER."

"Where was God?" you wonder...I was there. I
whispered in the ear of a little girl, 'Don't be
afraid, I am with you.' I held the hand of a
business woman as tightly as she clutched mine.
I cradled a pilot against my shoulder as if he
were a baby again."

"Amid the paralyzing fear, I was there, as I
was there with my Son in the garden. Amid the
unbearable pain, I was there, as I was with Him
as He was whipped. Amid the terrible realization
that life was ending too soon, I was there, with
Him as He hung on the cross and asked, like you,
"My God, why have you forsaken Me?"

"I had not forsaken Him. I did not forsake them. I
was there as they fell, and as they rose to eternal
joy. I listened to their anger, answered their
questions and showed them why they had been created.
Not to end that way, but to live with Me forever."

"In an instant, they came into existance. As you
did. In an instant, they left this world. As you will.
But beyond that last instant, I kept my promise...
A little girl dances, a business woman sings, and a
pilot keeps his wings forever."

Author Unknown

Thank you Heidi! And while we are on this subject please take a look!

http://www.grnco.net/~cbm/thought.htm

thank you both, I loved them.

Max Lucado is the author of many excellent books. He writes in a very conversational manner which makes you feel like he's sitting down having a cup of coffee with you. The following just resounded in my heart:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do It Again, Lord
by Max Lucado

We’re still hoping we’ll wake up. We’re still hoping we’ll open a sleepy eye and think, “What a horrible dream.”

But we won’t, will we, Father? What we saw was not a dream. Planes did gouge towers. Flames did consume our fortress. People did perish. It was no dream and, dear Father, we are sad.

There is a ballet dancer who will no longer dance and a doctor who will no longer heal. A church has lost her priest, a classroom is minus a teacher. Cora ran a food pantry. Paige was a counselor and Dana, dearest Father, Dana was only three years old. (Who held her in those final moments?)

We are sad, Father. For as the innocent are buried, our innocence is buried as well. We thought we were safe. Perhaps we should have known better. But we didn’t.

And so we come to you. We don’t ask you for help; we beg you for it. We don’t request it; we implore it. We know what you can do. We’ve read the accounts. We’ve pondered the stories and now we plead, “Do it again, Lord. Do it again.”

Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord.

Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have children too, Lord. Do it again.

And Sarah? Remember her prayers? You heard them. Joshua? Remember his fears? You inspired him. The women at the tomb? You resurrected their hope. The doubts of Thomas? You took them away. Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

You changed Daniel from a captive into a king’s counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and made him Peter an apostle. Because of you, David went from leading sheep to leading armies. Do it again, Lord, for we need counse lors today, Lord. We need apostles. We need leaders. Do it again, dear Lord.

Most of all, do again what you did at Calvary. What we saw here last Tuesday, you saw there that Friday. Innocence slaughtered. Goodness murdered. Mothers weeping. Evil dancing. Just as the smoke eclipsed our morning, so the darkness fell on your Son. Just as our towers were shattered, the very Tower of Eternity was pierced.

And by dusk, heaven’s sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock.

But you did not waver, O Lord. You did not waver. After three days in a dark hole, you rolled the rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again, Lord. Grant us a September Easter.

We thank you, dear Father, for these hours of unity. Christians are praying with Jews. Republicans are standing with Democrats. Skin colors have been covered by the ash of burning buildings. We thank you for these hours o f unity.

And we thank you for these hours of prayer. The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees and succeeded. He had no idea, however, that we would kneel before you. And he has no idea what you can do.

Let your mercy be upon our President, Vice President, and their families. Grant to those who lead us wisdom beyond their years and experience. Have mercy upon the souls who have departed and the wounded who remain. Give us grace that we might forgive and faith that we might believe.

And look kindly upon your church. For two thousand years you’ve used her to heal a hurting world.

Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Through Christ, Amen.

~~~~~~

© 2001, Max Lucado. This prayer was originally spoken at America Prays, a prayer event held September 15, 2001 by InJoy.

Title: "Do It Again, Lord"
Author: Max Lucado
Publication Date: September 18, 2001

(((Kimberley))) - I can't say anything!!

I am speechless... Thank you !!

Beautiful both of them. Thank you.

to all of you that shared beautiful, wonderful, heartfelt, i can hardly catch my breath. please write some more. i felt as tho i was wrapped up in a soft warm blanket, held tightly, and so safe. thank you.

Heidi, it's good to "see" you back - I missed you! Thanks for your posting, and for Kimberly's......

Hi Terry!
I've been so very busy. This time of year gets crazy with harvesting, canning, freezing, butchering, ect.
When I read "Where was God?" I felt the same way tootsie felt. It's so comforting knowing all those innocent people killed had God there with them at the end and now they are experiencing a joy we can only dream of.
I'll be a regular once again this winter.

louisa and gw,
Thank you both so very much! So many tears I have shed this week and a half.

Heidi

Heidi me too don't you know!!

Hi All,
I felt the same way...very moving... Has anyone heard of or seen the picture before the planes hit the Towers? My dear daughter told me about it tonite...

I know most of you saw the one of smoke with the devil's face...but my DD claims there is one of clouds with God holding his arms around the towers before the attacks...

I will get a copy of this and post it soon if no one else has a picture...

Look for it soon!

This message was edited Saturday, Sep 22nd 8:58 PM

ooooooooooooooooooooo
[[[[[[luv nana]]]]]]]]]

Someone posted that pic of the devil in the clouds and I could not for the life of me open it to have a look.

I saw the drawing of the one with god in the clouds with his arms stretched out but I haven't seen the picture of it.
Have you posted it yet?
I'd love to see it!
Heidi