Little Thing Can Have Terrible Consequences and Foreshadow Tragedy

Little Things Can Have Terrible Consequences and Foreshadow Tragedy
2 Samuel 6: 1- 23

I write this during Holy Week. In my Bible study group this week someone was expressing his unease with the way we speak of God’s sending his Son to be crucified. Is God some sort of masochist? This person is a hospice chaplain and often expresses his agonizing about the grim experiences that come to the people he ministers to and to their families. Why doesn’t God stop such things happening? Why does God even make them happen, in Jesus’ case? In the Bible study we batted this question back and forth. This young man knows that one of the things I will say in such a discussion is that the problem of good is surely even greater than the problem of evil. As I write, I look out on the sunshine and listen to a favorite CD and wrestle with obscure Hebrew words (I have strange passions) and look forward with enthusiasm to the arrival later today of my son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren who are coming to stay, even while also being aware of some sadness at the fact that my wife’s death nine months last Sunday means she will not be among us as we celebrate Easter together. Why should there be so much good in life, but yes, why do such bad things also happen? Who knows?...