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The horrific events of September 11, 2001, have left this country devastated and reeling in shock. The unbelievable loss of so many innocent lives grieves our hearts to the core, with no words sufficient to express our pain. The United States of America, the strongest country in the world, a country who takes pride in its freedom, independence, and democracy, has been gripped with fear. We cannot comprehend hatred that would cause such senseless brutality. We are told our country will never be the same again, even if we have to give up some of our sacred liberty. The soul-searching question rings in our ears, Why, dear God, why would you permit such evil??? The Permission of Evil God was not the creator of evil. God could have prevented the entrance of sin, but the fact He did not should be sufficient proof to us that its present permission is designed ultimately to work out some greater good. Psa. 5:4 states that God is "not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness." Though opposed to evil in every sense, God permits it for a time, because His wisdom sees a way in which it will be a lasting and valuable lesson to His creation. The Ultimate Lesson God foresaw that, having given man freedom of choice, man would accept and choose sin through lack of full appreciation of sin and its results and that evil would gradually become more agreeable and more desirable to him than good. Therefore, God designed to permit evil, because, having provided His son, Jesus Christ, to be the remedy for man's release from its consequences, He saw that the result would be to lead man, through experience, to a full appreciation of "the exceeding sinfulness of sin" and of the matchless brilliancy of virtue in contrast with it -- thus teaching man the more to love and honor his Creator and forever to shun that which brought so much woe and misery. What to Expect in the Future? The Scriptures have predicted unprecedented trouble in the world: Matt. 24:21, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." We can expect more trouble in this nighttime of sorrow, but we look beyond the present trouble to the promised joy in the morning of the glorious Kingdom of God. Psa. 30:5, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." There is Hope Our hope and confidence should not be placed in men, no matter how wise or honorable they may be. "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." (1 Cor. 3:19) Our confidence must be placed in our Heavenly Father, that he is in control, or has permitted, whatever happens on the earth. He is working out his divine plan of the ages. It will not fail. "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isa. 55:11) Those who have an understanding of God's plan, and who are striving to live their lives in accordance therewith, can have peace during this time because they know that once the Lord has selected his Church to be used to bless the whole world, and once mankind has learned the needed lessons of sin, the hope of all will be accomplished. "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." (Rom. 8:22, 19) God's Kingdom will bring in the legitimate desire of all nations (Haggai 2:7). Peace, life, economic security, vigorous health and freedom from fear are some of the blessings His Kingdom will bring to all peoples. That means all those who have perished will be reunited with their loved ones. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Cor. 15:22) Let us all pray, "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven," Matt. 6:10.
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