Another troubled night in Ferguson, Missouri. State Police, National Guard, local and national media, all there. But where’s God?
Let’s think this through. First, no one can see God. You know that from your own experience and the Bible teaches it; for example, John 1:18: “No one has ever seen God.” His hiddenness puzzles me but it is what it is.
Second, we want to believe God is somehow present and, again, the Bible is filled with promises. Hebrews 13:5 is just one of many promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Put those two things together and we conclude that God is somehow working behind the scenes, working through intermediaries. I once asked seminarians where God is working in our world and they gave me the predictable pious answer, “Through the Word and Sacrament in church.” “OK, but what about the rest of the week? What about people who don’t believe? Is God doing anything for them?”
Back to Ferguson. God cares for more people than just His Sunday saints. Romans 13 teaches that government is part of God’s design to protect people from wrong and injustice. Government “is God’s servant… He does not bear the sword in vain.” (v. 4) Police, national guard, elected authorities… He’s behind them…and wants them to do justice. Notice, that’s all external. Coercion. Force. Tear gas and handcuffs don’t change the heart.
What changes the heart is the Spirit of God through the Word, what occupies us in church and in our devotion during the week. Paul says we should pray for authorities, “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 1:2-4).
Yes, God’s present, doing His part. Things will get better when we all see that we are God’s intermediaries for His will to be done in our troubled world.
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