By definition....

These two words are used a lot in mathematics. 'By definition' basically means "don't ask why, it just is".

Please bear with me, there is a point to this...
Here's a quick example, in the field of probability they use a mathematical function called the factorial. The factorial is represented by an exclamation point, the easiest way to explain it is to show an example:

3! = 6 (3 x 2 x 1 )
6! = 720 (6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1)

Now, here's the kicker....

0! = 1 ?!?!?!!?!?!

Why? 'By definition', don't ask why, just accept it.

Now the real point...
Yesterday, I was talking with someone who was having some pretty deep struggles spiritually. He asked a question that I struggle with. It boiled down to this idea.

If God is good, and all powerful, why does bad stuff happen?

I was reminded of a broadcast that I listened to from Ravi Zacharius. He was having a question and answer session with some students at a prestigious university. One of the students asked Ravi, "Is it right for God to do such and so". Ravi spent several minutes talking about the fact that there is no sense of right and wrong that exists outside of God. God is the one that defines right and wrong, so if God does it, it is right and good 'by definition'. Don't ask why, just accept it.

The story that I think of here is the story of Joseph in Genesis. Everything is doing just fine then suddenly, your family turns against you, you are now a slave in a foreign country. You work your way out of that hole, then suddenly, you are accused of a crime that you didn't commit and now you are in jail. The story goes on and on until the climax where we find that Joseph is right where God needed him to be to save his people. The whole story is in Genesis 37-45.

When Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, he says something amazing:

"And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. " 8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

We all have our definition of good. My definition includes me and my family being healthy, all of our bills are paid, we have good friends, basically nothing bad happens. Anything different from that is not good in my book. But what if God needs me in a different place? What if, like Joseph, he needs me to go through a little bit of hell to be where he wants me to be? I might not like it, but I'll need to go through it.

I don't pretend to have all of the answers, does God make bad stuff happen? or does he just allow it to happen? I don't know that it makes a lot of difference either way. I don't understand, I just have to remember that God is good, by definition. I heard this quote several years ago, I tried to find the original source for it, but couldn't. I think it is appropriate here:

"A God that is small enough for my mind, is not big enough for my knees"

Amen