Where was God on 9/11?

John 9:1-3 (NLT)

As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked Him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.

I was driving to work listening to a sermon by RC Sproul.  He attracted my attention by reflecting on the tragedy of 9/11 and asking the question, “Where was God” when this happened?  Sproul’s answer:  “God was in the precise place on 9/11 that He was on the day before and the day after.  He was on His throne then and continues to be on His throne now because He is the Lord God omnipotent who reigns.  He reigns day in and day out in consistent manifestation of His immutable sovereignty.  God is immutable, unchanging, even though people and cultures continually change.”

OK, but that does not give much, if any, comfort to those who lost loved ones that day as well as likely does not satisfy those who asked and still ask the question.  On the 11^th anniversary of 9/11, most Americans still deal with emotional scars from that day and still feel a huge sense of insecurity, especially since the specter and reality of terrorism still clearly exists.  Why, God, why? 

Evangelists Pat Robertson and the late Jerry Falwell attempted to answer the question.  Falwell told Robertson and Robertson agreed that 9/11 was a result of God’s judgment on America’s sinful culture that included prayer being banned in schools and tolerance of abortion and homosexuality.  Reaction against these men was so strong that they later issued recantations.  It may not have been their place to speak such judgmental words, but who is to say for sure that 9/11 was or was not an act of judgment of God?  Recalling the words of the priest in the movie “Rudy”, “Son, in 35 years of religious study, I have only come up with two hard incontrovertible facts: there is a God, and I'm not Him.”

Jesus’ disciples asked the same question---why?  Why did God allow this man to be born blind?  It is seemingly so senseless that child be born blind or with any other birth defect.  It seems senseless when any kind of human suffering occurs.  Why, God, why?  Now it’s interesting that the disciples did not wait for Jesus to answer.  They proceeded, like Robertson and Falwell, to propose possible answers.  Yes, they rationalized, the man was born blind because of sin, but whose sin…….his or his parents?  First, they put the blame on sin as many people do today when something bad happens.  Haven’t you felt guilty when something bad happened, especially to a loved one and you pinned it as punishment for your sin(s)?  If another person experiences great suffering, do you think sometimes that person must have committed a great sin and now is being punished?  

Second, they gave Jesus an “either/or” dilemma (blindness due to him or his parents) with no other possibility.  This definitely is an example of a rush to judgment.  Indeed, Jesus’ answer was that it was not either his sin or his parents’ sin that caused this man’s blindness.  His answer was and still is startling---the man’s blindness happened so that many years later, Jesus Christ, son of God, could demonstrate His power to overcome and heal.  The man’s blindness and all our sufferings of the world are not senseless.  God will work through what originally appears to be senseless and work out something good (Romans 8:28).  It takes faith to believe this and time to see the results. 

God did not cause the man’s blindness nor the 9/11 attacks nor all other evil that exists in this world.  God gave man free will to make choices and this blessing often can became a curse.  Man through Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and do evil in His sight.  Sin thus entered the world and sin set in motion all kinds of evil and suffering and death (Gen 3:17-19).  Yet, God sees all this and often intervenes although just as often does not.  He is sovereign; we are not.  He has created heaven where there is no death or sorrow or pain or any kind of evil and where believers will be some day.  In the meantime, He knows and sees what will happen and always is available to comfort and support.  He can turn something evil into something good like He did with the blind man, like He has done with countless people who suffered in one way or another because of 9/11, and like He can do with any suffering you are experiencing right now.  Again, it requires your trust in His sovereignty.