Minneapolis and St. Paul are known as the Twin Cities. Only the Mississippi river comes between us, and right now, there are a lot of cars at the bottom of that river.There are people down there as well.My hometown is shaken and will have a gaping hole for at least two years.If you are in cities that have had tragedies, you know the sickening feeling.However, all tragedies have another side to them which I will talk about briefly.
First, thanks to so many of you from literally around the world who wrote asking about the safety of all involved with this ministry.One of my assistants was usually on the crushed bridge about the time it fell; however, she was delayed at the office trying to fix a computer virus. Was this an accident or an act of God?I think you know. Her husband is with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, working back-breaking hours, so pray for Todd.
Here are just a few thoughts over the last few days.
*Just like with 9/11, what happened in the Twin Cities could have been a stunning disaster as to loss of life. The final count as to deaths is so far less than anticipated it's legit to call it a miracle.Where have we heard that before?The jihadists planned on killing 200,000 Americans or more on 9/11.God intervenes very often whether a city or nation deserve it or not.
*There was a bus filled with fifty children. There were three almost-certain destinations for the bus: (1) The River; (2) Crashing into a burning truck; (3) Trapping and crushing all children inside.What happened? None of the above. The bus stopped short by only a few feet from going off the edge of the bridge.
*With that story and many others I have grown weary and almost sickened by the constant use of the word "luck." I have also grown tired of pundits of all persuasions pontificating endlessly yet saying nothing. I don't care to hear any more politicians ranting, George W. Bush being blamed, psychologists babbling, and spiritually-dead clergy offering no spiritual substance.Not one public person I have heard (and I could have missed it) gave any glory to God for making this less of a disaster than it already is.It wasn't "the great people of Minnesota" that made this less tragic.It was God's grace.
*I have to ask why a tragedy has to happen before action is taken on issues that should have been obvious. Perhaps this is the condition of fallen man but planning for terror attacks ahead of time and being cautious of infrastructure problems shouldn't require a disaster to wake us up.We should plan ahead.
*Courageous people did step in including the first responders.But let's save our greatest praise for the One who deeply cares about people and families. Tragedy is a part of the human condition. We are seeing floods, fires, heat, and more around the world. Some caught in the midst are not so fortunate.
*You and I never know when we could be on a bridge that crumbles like this or be in a building targeted by a 747. Life is uncertain at best.Eternity is a certainty.It is important we know where we will spend it because life can be snuffed out in a nanosecond.
Is Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of your life?Eternity is a long time.You need to spend it in the right place.
"I will praise You forever for what You have done; in Your Name I will hope, for Your Name is good. I will praise You in the presence of Your saints" (Psalm 52:9).
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Absolutely a GREAT article - As a Believer of almost 27 years, I am so sick and tired of the endless use of 'luck'. Thank you for a great article.
And I am delighted the Lord kept your friend safe that day. Whoever thought Computer Viruses would be a good thing? LOL
God Bless!
Mrs. Pam Lamker Click here to reply to this post
Oh, yes, praise God for saving some people and letting other people die!
It's always his miracle when someone survives, but never his fault when someone dies, 'eh?
This is just another reason I find the whole concept of a "god" unbelievable. And before you bring up the entire "it's man's fault for sin!" argument, think about this: If God is omniscient and knows everything before it happens, then he purposely and knowingly made mankind though he knew most would sin and be damned. How is he then not responsible for their eternal suffering? If he made all of existence, *he* is responsible for what happens and how existence works!
Sorry to rant, but this is one issue that really gets to me. People "praise God" when they win a football game, but don't cast any blame on him when an innocent child starves to death, even though, according to their beliefs, God set up the whole system! Click here to reply to this post
Re: Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/08/07 06:16:39 PM
Age 53, IN
God plan is amazing. If you are really up to seeking truth about God, this should help. If you are only interested in bashing Him, this will make no sense to you. (In scripture, we see that Jesus spoke in parables so that those seeking Him with their hearts would understand, but those that were trying to get head knowledge would not! Pretty clever, huh? He wants our hearts!) Yes, suffering is a result of the fall (and there are many different kinds of suffering. You see, God didn’t want to make puppets or robots…we might have just as well been chairs, or some object, if we didn’t have free will to love Him. He is a Gentleman that gave us this choice. Only because He is holy, could He provide heaven. And to be Holy requires that He punish wrong-doing. An entity that can create the universe and still want to know us individually and personally has much bigger ways than you can imagine. Remember, he lives outside of time and space. Before one has the Holy Spirit, which gives wisdom and an understanding, questions such as yours seem to make sense. After the Holy Spirit enters, one suddenly has 'ears to hear’ and questioning Him fades tremendously. As a Christian, one may not be able explain certain things, but supernaturally one understands (because of Holy Spirit) many things about Him. When one person seems spared and another isn’t, you know it was the spared person’s time to die. God is the maker and potter, so He sets the time. Why some are given longs lives than others is something Christians can’t explain, but because of the Holy Spirit, we know this is His plan. This obviously makes it easier to accept death, also. Regardless of how messed up the plan make look to you, just know when you stand before a JUST and Holy God, it will just be the two of you. Nothing about what seems ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in the world will be an issue. Have you ever lied, stolen anything, looked with lust or dishonored your parents? If so, if you are judged by these Laws, will you be innocent or guilty? Jesus came to save a sinner like you (and me). It’s a FREE gift and grants eternal life! That’s why it’s called the GOOD NEWS! You simply have to CHOOSE him. Choosing him means to REPENT. Turn tail and surrender yourself just as you are. (You must come with nothing to offer but your sin.) If you mean it, you will find him and he will grant you the Holy Spirit. There is nothing like it. God Bless. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/08/07 03:35:19 PM
Age 56, MS
WHILE I love JAN, she did a great injustice by not going deeper into the truth.
IM not going to go further here either. BUT i will tell you this much, that JAN failed to do.
IT WAS GOD who TOOK that bridge down that day, HE Knew who would die, who would be hurt, and who would help rescue.
GOD can do what he wants, when he wants and HOW he wants. AFTER ALL HE IS GOD and we are NOT.
GOD never does anything, he doesnt have a reason for, and I CAN not go into all of it here.
I do pray tho people LIKE JAN> would enlist the help of the HOLY SPIRIT when writing a article.
WE dont need to confuse people FURTHER than they already are.
respond back if you want to go deeper. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Re: Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/13/07 05:07:14 PM
Age 23, KS
I really love platitudes. I think the world could really use more of those, especially in references to great tragedies. They really help to comfort me in the hard times of life. Thank you conservative Christians with all the answers. What would I do without you? Click here to reply to this post
Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/07/07 09:08:21 AM
Age 45, MT
Bill OReilly on Fox News gave glory to God that more were not killed in the bridge collapse. He is one that did. I think we need to do more of actually living in faith as far as life and death come in. God knows best as to when our time or our loved ones time is up in this life. Do we have the faith to trust God in his soverignty? Click here to reply to this post
Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/07/07 08:07:35 AM
Age 39, NE
Luck assumes events can randomly happen, apart from the sovereignty of God. That is simply impossible. God is sovereign and oversees all of His creation. Nothing can happen which He does not allow to happen. This means no random events or luck. The better word is "providence" which is God's oversight of our lives. Good providence is our perspective of how events occur which seem to be favorable to us. Since "all things work together for good" (Rom. 8:28), every event, even the terrible ones still work out fine for us, because of our relationship to Christ. Good Luck, no. Good Providence, yes. Click here to reply to this post
Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/06/07 09:37:12 AM
Age 50, MN
I don't fully understand this. You seem to be claiming that it was an act of God that made the computer virus delay your assistant and saved her life - but the Engebretson woman, who was also a woman of God - was not given the same "act" and so she was killed on the bridge. Was she less in tune with God than your assistant? Did God really miraclously save your assistant, but let others die? Isn't that incredibly arrogant to think that or am I off base? // I'm really struggling with this and in understanding it as anything more than an accident - Piper said on this website it so we'll learn to fear God - Really? - you're saying God intervened so more people weren't killed and that we should call that a miracle of God. // I wish you'd help me understand this. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/11/07 10:52:07 AM
Age 50, GA
Our perspective is so much different than God's ("Your ways are higher than mine, and your thoughts are higher than my own.")
A human being dying prematurely is often tragic to other human beings - but this life is just a drop in the bucket in light of eternity - forever!
We tend to focus on the "splinter" in our finger that hurts so much (tragedies, disease, abuse, etc.) and ignore the severed jugular vein that is rapidly draining away our life's blood. That is to say, we concentrate more on the "needless" death of "innocents," than on the critical issue of where WE will spend that eternity.
While we must do our best to deal with the former, these tragedies and injustices can distract us from the REAL issue - when I die, when these "innocents" die, WHERE will they end up? THIS is the more important of the two issues. Click here to reply to this post
there is no way possible to explain it all to you here. But I can tell you this, while I love Jan, I did email her to let her know she did not have the entire picture here.
those doing that can do more harm then good.
TO explain the soverignty of GOD,takes time.
IT can be a confusing issue, so Im going to condense it the best I can, and please respond and ask any futher questions you want.
GOD is in control at all time, he is never not in control,while JAN did NOT go far enough because I DONT think she understands.
GOD can do what he wants, when he wants, however he wants, including letting people die.
YES HE DROPPED that BRIDGE that day, HE know who would die, who would be injured and who would help others.
PEOPLE like Jan, dont want to say that, for fear it will turn people away from GOD.
BUT, honesty is the best policy always, it helps NOT to confuse people any futher.
I suggust YOU first off REPENT and be saved, then GET in the word, and with the HOLY SPIRIT to aide you, he will explain it more clearly to you then I can here.
respond if you want to go further. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Re: Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/09/07 08:37:41 AM
Age 50, MN
A couple of years ago, also in MN, there were two cases of missing women, going on at the same time. Dru Sjodin, who was found murdered and Audrey Seiler, who was found to have been a hoax she perpetrated while going to school at Madison. // On the evening news they ran these stories back to back. They had just found Seiler and they were interviewing people at a Church in New Hope who had been at a prayer vigil for her, one after another came out praising God that he had answered their prayers and delieverd Audrey home safely. (they didn't know the whole story was a lie yet) // The very next story was about the murder of Sjodin. How do you think her family felt hearing the stories from the 'faithful' at that church saying God had heard their prayers and delivered Audrey safely? She had lied repeatedly and misled everybody and this was a 'miracle of God'? // Dru's family obviously wasn't praying hard enough or wasn't 'right' with God so He would hear thier prayers or Dru was just supposed to be murdered and Audrey, the liar was supposed to live.// I want to believe in prayer, and I think it is a practice I need to have in my life - but I hate it when Christians do things like this and also Jan here saying "God intervened with a computer virus to save her assistant" I just can't buy that. - Thanks for responding by the way - but I also think it's a bit disengenous to say that the Holy Spirit will take away all my questions - if you are honest you have to have some questions too - and pretending they aren't there I don't think is all that helpful. Click here to reply to this post
Re: Re: Re: Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/16/07 09:10:58 AM
Age 56, MN
I agree with the writer.
churches and people do confuse others about when bad things happen.
Remember this, GOD allowed his OWN son( himself in human form ) to endure great suffering. What was different about Jesus tho, HE was innocent of any sin.
WE ARE NOT!
DO not think GOD wont allow things bad to happen to us.
THE BODY alone dies, not the spirit. God knows what his purpose is for everything in life, nothing is a accident.
WHILE we do NOT always understand, NEITHER did JOB.
JOB, asked WHY, and GOD told him "WHERE WERE YOU when i FLUNG the stars in the sky.
MAN needs to understand, we are clay, and GOD is the potter, the CLAY never gets to talk back to the POTTER.
THRU faith and trust in GOD, we will come to see his WAYS are higher than ours.
Again, GOD does NOTHING in this world by accident.
THERE is nothing ever that takes GOD by surprize.
HE is in TOTAL control 24/7.
Knowing that JOB, said it is GOD who GIVES Life and GOD who takes LIFE, GLORY be to GOD.
AND JOB said, even tho he should slay me, I WILL NOT curse the LORD.
THIS journey called life, is one of TRUST and obedience.
WE are NOT the CREATOR, only the created.
when one gets that in the proper order, its easier to TRUST the LORD, that he alones knows what is best for us. Click here to reply to this post
Re: There’s No Such Thing as Luck
Posted On: 08/05/07 09:35:41 PM
Age 72, HI
Thank you, Jan, for telling it like it is! It is a real tragedy of our time that society ignores the only One in charge of our lives, the One who can protect our life and the One who can end it as He wills. Luck is a function of chance but our God doesn't operate that way. He always was, is and always will be in complete control of events. It was so during creation, was so when Jesus went to the cross and will be so when He returns. To call saved lives "luck" denies God the glory He is due.
Than you for serving so faithfully, Jan. Click here to reply to this post
