[gopwinsin04]

Millstones made of pig lard.

[mvpel]

To those who would question their faith in G-d, you should remember that G-d does not work alone.

Before G-d brought on the plauges against the Egyptians in order to save the Israelites, he required Moses or Aaron to take action themselves, be striking something with their staves (Exodus 7:20, 8:13, 17:6), extending their hands or staves towards or over something (Exodus 8:2, 9:23, 10:13, 10:22), tossing something into the air (Exodus 9:8), making a mark or sign (Exodus 12:13), or merely getting up early to issue a warning (Exodus 8:16, 9:1).

But in no case did G-d do anything without a human act taking place first.

Passively relying on G-d to save you is a repeat of Exodus 17:6, it is a form of testing G-d. If you do nothing, you might well perish as did those Israelites who stayed behind in Egypt, refusing to believe Moses, Aaron, or the signs G-d wrought. In 1 Timothy 5:8, it is said "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." It's just another form of "testing G-d" from Exodus 17.

But if you take action, G-d promises to steady your aim, "traineth your hands for war, and your fingers for battle," and to "take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to your help," and will "draw out also the spear, and the battle-axe, against them that pursue thee;" and "say unto thy soul: 'I am thy salvation.'"

But if you have no spear and no battle axe, the words of Psalm 35 cannot come to pass.

[Fiddlstix]

Millstones made of pig lard.

Works for me.

[veronica]

The same question was asked after the Holocaust. Where was God? But God gave man free will. Men killed those babies, not God.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

"Where was God at Beslan?"

He's not allowed in schools, remember?

[MrDaddyLongLegs]

For EVIL to Succeed all that is required is for Good men to do NOTHING.....It is Better to DIE on Your Feet than LIVE on your knees.....CONFRONT EVIL

[LadyPilgrim]

The swines were sent into the sea!
It's the furture of pagans, their lot, is not in the water,
but eternity in the lake of fire! Without water!

[MrDaddyLongLegs]

For EVIL to succeed all that is required is for Good men to Do NOTHING ...... It is Better to DIE on your feet than LIVE on your knees....CONFRONT EVIL

[griffin]

Where was God? As depicted in Isaiah Chapter 6, working His plan.

Mr. Williams would do well to not put so much faith in his own understanding but rely on God no matter what he experiences.

[melsec]

When I see these things take place I look up for my redemption draweth nigh. Anyone who studies the word should be strenthened in their faith. The Bible is great at telling us what the nature of man is and what evil is like.

Mel

[quadrant]

If the Archbishop of Canterbury questions his faith in God at the time like this, then the man's faith is thin indeed.
These murders were committed by men determined to prove that they could be God - that they possessed the power of life and death.
It would have been more appropriate for the Archbishop to confirm that when he heard of these murders, his faith in the ultimate power and justice of God was strengthened.

[Russ7]

Pretty theologically shallow comment. God permits evil (doesn't cause it) for the good that can come out of this tragedy. Maybe God was kicked out of the school there like He has been here in the USA.

I heard another way to think of this. It is an unseen reality that there is a ferocious war going on between good and evil. Every now and then the veil is penetrated by the flames of this war and we can visibly see what's happening.