Pre-college Sierra never dabbled in theology or philosophy. In her mind, what was, was. There was no need to explore anything further or question anything. I mean, why would a person need to question God?

Now, I’ve learned that in order to know a person, you have to ask questions. If you’re in a dating relationship, then you’re always asking questions.

I’m in a relationship with Father God. Therefore, I’m comfortable asking questions. And thankfully, as I read the Old Testament, I’m in pretty good company.

As the recent events of this summer have shaken all of us up, I’ve spent numerous nights asking God the tough questions.

“Why is this happening?”

“How much longer do we have to live through this?”

“Why would You let this happen?”

I was listening to a sermon by Bethel Church in Redding, California. There, I heard Pastor Bill Johnson say the words, “God is not in control, but He is in charge.”

“Blasphemy!”

“Heresy!”

I almost lost my marbles. How could a person say that God is not in control?

My heart was racing. I went to bed that night borderline furious.

The next morning, I was babysitting one of the little girls on campus and I felt the Lord use her to illustrate the previous night’s provocative statement.

I saw her playing with her little toys and as I sat watching her, I thought to myself, “If Tatum were to act completely on her free will and stick her finger in a power outlet, then am I in control of that?”

“No way! I would never will that.”

“But would I be in charge of taking her, comforting her, taking her to a hospital and do everything I can to make the absolute best of a bad situation? Absolutely!”

My heart sank. I began to see out of clear eyes.

In Genesis 3, we see the effects of our own free will. God was completely in charge of the Garden. He said to Adam and Eve, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17 NET)

After reading this, I think it’s pretty safe to say that God was in charge of the Garden. God told the happy couple that they could freely eat from any tree, but not of that one right there. You see it? That one. That’s the only one.

God granted them the free will to do whatever they wanted. And what did they do? They did the one and only thing that God asked them not to do.

You see, God is absolutely in charge of the earth. He created it. But He’s not in control of it.

I have yet to encounter a sound set of theological framework that says, “God gives us free will, but He is upstairs in Heaven controlling every situation that happens and decision we make.”

When I say God is not in control, I mean that He is not in Heaven saying, “I’m going to make Sierra get into a terrible car wreck today that is going to leave her completely paralyzed, but it’s okay because I love her.”

What kind of love is that? Love does not control.

Now, the God I serve says that after Genesis 3, sin has inhabited the earth, and perfection has been removed from it.

He is completely in charge of what happens, but I will not stand with confidence and say that God pulled the trigger in Baton Rouge, Dallas, Orlando, Turkey, Syria, Chicago or any other tragic, senseless event that has shaken the heart of the nations.

I will say that God is in our midst. He is providing us with peace. He comes in and says “beloved” as He lifts our chin and looks deeply into our tear-filled eyes.

He sits with the widow and her children in Haiti. He mourns with the mother who is weeping over the lifeless body of her child. He guides the healing hand of a nurse who is providing care to a broken patient. His Holy Spirit seeps into the crevices of our hearts that we didn’t even know were there. His eyes are filled with joy as He longs to bring us home to Him: where we were made to be.

Father God is good, and in the same way that I would never pull the strings to allow a little girl to harm herself, I will never say that God is controlling the terrible parts of our world.

I will, however, say that He is in charge of picking us up and washing off our pain with His Living Water.

Father, be with every heart today. You are Healer, and I pray that You would flood the atmosphere around us. We are Yours, and we give You the honor, the praise and the glory. We love you.