The problem of evil is not an abstraction. It is not a puzzle that will be solved by philosophers. It is the tsunami on the shores of Japan and Indonesia, it is the crumbling wreckage of the Twin Towers, it is the smoke and fire and horror of war, it is the psychological breakdown of the tortured prisoner, it is the pain of a loved one with cancer, and it is the desolate cry from the blood-stained cross.
"For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard." Psalm 22:24 (KJV)
And the Lord has dealt with evil on the cross, has defeated it, taking all of it upon himself, forgiving His persecutors, and rose from the dead. He has provided us with means to partake of His defeat of evil, namely forgiveness (that evil done to us, no matter how horrible, may have no power to change us and that we may partake of His defeat of evil), hope (that He will heal the world-gone-wrong as He has promised), faith (that we may participate in bringing His kingdom, healing, and order into the world now, and trust that He has in mind only good in all that He does), and charity (that we may show His compassion to the helpless, that we may be His provision to the hungry, that we may be His presence to those who cannot find Him, and that we may be His comfort to the afflicted).
Nor is this the answer yet.
For we have not answered evil until we have lived, daily practicing each of these, living life together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, walking in holiness and in prayer. We have not answered evil until we have followed Him, until we have forgiven those who offend and injure us, until we have loved our neighbors and our friends. We must do these things.
Nor is this the answer yet.
For only God has definitively answered evil. All of these good things are from His hand. And only He shall, in the day that is yet to come, heal every wound, wipe every tear, and cast evil and death into the fire prepared for them. Although the victory has been won, the closure is not yet. Not yet.
Father of every dew drop, source of all wisdom, please help us. Heal our afflicted mothers and fathers. Be near to our friends who have lost sight of all hope and light. Bring peace to those places in the world where war and violence seem never to end. Restore those families whom strife or grief has rent apart. And be our strength, for although we know what we must do, we are so very inept at doing it. Deliver us from evil.
And let our cry come unto Thee.
"And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. . . . these words are true and faithful." Revelation 21:5 (KJV)
"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20 (KJV).
Even so, come quickly. Amen.
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