QKAG: Issue # 32

PAST ISSUE # 32
Questions Kids Ask About God

Question: Why do you get mad at me if you have Jesus in your heart?

Answer: Not all anger is wrong. We should be angry with the bad things in the world, and we should try to make them right. When children disobey their parents and do other things that are wrong, sometimes their parents get angry. Good parents want their parents to do what is right, and so they try to teach children right from wrong. Sometimes, of course, parents get angry at children for the wrong reasons. Maybe the parents are grouchy because they've had a bad day. Or maybe they misunderstood what their child did. Parents are human too; they can make mistakes. Even Christian parents who have God living in them and guiding them can do what is wrong at times. That happens when they don't do what God wants them to do. No matter how your parents act, you should love them and pray for them.

Key Bible verses:
Ecclesiastes 3:7-8; Matthew 5:22; Ephesians 4:26; Colossians 3:5-8; James 1:20

My views:
Have you wondered if God ever gets angry? Actually, He does but His anger is valid and momentary. For example, when the Israelites rebel against God, He was angry and punished them by sending them into their enemies' hands (Isaiah 9:8-10:4). God punishes us so that we can learn from our mistakes. Let me pose this question to you: if you are a parent and catches your child stealing money from your wallet, what would you do?
A) Do nothing.
B) Punish the child.
C) Commend the child.
As a parent who loves your child, you would want him to learn from his mistakes. Therefore, punishment is the most appropriate manner in disciplining a child so that he will never commit the same mistake again.
In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Israelites sinned and were punished by God, but they did not seem to learn from their mistakes because they continued to sin against God. If you have a child like the Israelites, how would you feel? Give up on him or send him away? Thankfully, God did not give up on the Israelites, He gave His only Son to them so that they would turn away from sin and be saved through Him (Romans 5:9-11). However, most Jews do not believe in Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 18:4-6). But, God still did not give up on them. Isn't that wonderful? Unlike human parents, God never gives up on us. When we are in our lowest point of life and wonder why God seems to be angry with us, remember that God punishes those whom He loves (Revelation 3:19). When my family wondered why God caused my sister to be clinically depressed about 2 years ago, I soon realized that it was a blessing in disguise. She was healed in due time and the sad episode drew her closer to God. Related topic in Issue # 9.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I thank You for dying on the Cross for my sins. Right now, I am in my moment of despair and loss. I feel condemned. If you are angry with me, stir in my heart so that I may know why I have caused You to be angry with me. If I have sinned, I want to confess and repent of my sins to you. (List your sins) Lord Jesus, I thank You for forgiving my sins. Please be merciful and bring me out of my despair and hopelessness. Thank you for your mercy, strength and love. Amen.

Last words...
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)
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Source: 101 Questions Kids Ask About God, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc