Galing sa Librong, What About Covid 19? Why? What Now? What’s Next? by OMF Literature Inc.
“Natutulog ba ang Diyos?” Iyan marahil ang tanong ng ibang tao ngayon. Nasaan ba ang Diyos sa panahon ng kagipitan? Ito rin ang tanong ng salmista: “O Yahweh, bakit masyado kang malayo? Sa panahon ng gulo, bakit ka nagtatago?” (Awit 10:1, ABB).
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Minsan hindi natin maiwasang magtanong nang ganito lalo na sa gitna ng mga nangyayari sa atin ngayon. Masama bang nagtatanong ng ganito? Hindi ba ako nagkakasala kung nakakapag-isip ako ng ganito? Sasabihin ng iba, hindi natin dapat tinatanong ng ganyan ang Diyos! Who are we to question God? We are just His creatures? At sa halip na i-question natin Siya, dapat magpasalamat na lang tayo dahil “All things work together for good.” Ang sabi pa ng ibang Christians, ang pagtatanong ng bakit at nasaan ang Diyos ay tanda ng mahinang pananampalataya sa Diyos. Pero kung makikita natin, maging ang mga tao sa Biblia ay nagtatanong din sa Diyos. Binanggit ko na ang Awit 10:1. Isa pang talata na nagpapahayag ng ganitong pagtatanong ay ang Isaias 63:15: “Saan ba naroon ang malasakit mo at kapangyarihan?” (MBB). Notice ’yung tanong na “Saan ba?” Sinambit nila ang panalangin na ito noong sila ay nasa exile, hirap na hirap at walang makitang liwanag. They felt lost. They didn’t know what to do or where to go. What seems to be intriguing is the absence of answer to the people’s questions. Sa Awit 10, walang sagot na makikita mula sa Diyos. Ganun din sa Isaias 63. God will answer but not right away. Ano kaya ang ipinahihiwatig nito? Hindi ba sumasagot ang Diyos? Hindi po ibig sabihin na kapag walang sagot ang Diyos ay wala na Siya doon. Silence does not mean absence. One reason we do not find an answer from God in the biblical text is that God allows His people to pour out their hearts to Him. Hindi Siya tulad ng ibang tao na kapag nagshare ka ng problem mo, may sagot agad. Ang daming verses at advice ang kaagad shinishare. But many times, when we are suffering and struggling, what we need is not an answer but someone who will just be there to listen to us. And so to the question, “Nasaan ang Diyos?” the answer is He is right there with you, listening to your heart, telling you He understands what you’re going through. And even though you do not see Him, you can be assured He is there because He too had been in the place where you are now.
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When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He too wondered where God is. In fact, He felt abandoned by His own Father, when He cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46). Do you feel alone? Do you feel as if there is no more hope? Tulad ba ng salmista dumarating na rin ’yung mga panahon na pakiramdam mo parang napakalayo ni Lord? Bakit hindi ka lumapit sa Kanya ngayon at sabihin sa Kanya kung anuman ang nasa iyong kalooban?
Reference:
Villanueva, R. (2020). “Bakit nangyari ang COVID-19? Nasaan ang Diyos sa lahat ng ito?” In What About Covid-19? Why? What Now? What’s Next? (pp. 8–9). OMF Literature Inc.
About OMF Literature:
OMF Literature is a movement of Christians who desire to honor God by depending on the Holy Spirit to achieve excellence in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, making disciples, equipping Church leaders and promoting spiritual growth primarily among Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad, through the effective and righteous management of a publishing and distribution enterprise.
Rico Villanueva
Si Dr. Rico Villanueva ay Regional Commissioning Editor ng Langham Publications at Scholar Care Coordinator ng Langham scholars sa Asia. Nagtuturo siya ng Sacred Scripture sa Loyola School of Theology sa Ateneo de Manila at sa Asia Graduate School of Theology. His books with OMF LIT include Lord, I’m Depressed—The Lament Psalms and Depression; and It’s OK to be Not OK: The Message of the Lament Psalms (also available in three booklets in Taglish: OK Lang Maging Malungkot at Umiyak; OK Lang Magstruggle at Mabigo; at OK Lang Magalit at Magtampo sa Diyos).
