'Jesus, Strong and Kind' - A theodicy for kids {Isaiah 59:1-2, 16}

"Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. 2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. *** 16 He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him." (Isaiah 59:1-2, 16,  New Living Translation)

Omnipotence. It describes the all-powerfulness of God. That as the Creator of the universe, He is in charge, He is in control, He has the power to do what He wants. And yet if God is all-powerful, then why does the universe seem to spin out of control at times, and life unravels? 

"God is Love," we are told in scripture (1 John 4:8 & 16) But if God is love, then why does He allow bad things to happen to good people? Why does he allow injustice to go on, unchecked? Is God lacking in love or is He lacking in power? What gives? What's going on?

Theologians try and grapple with those questions with the  answer called "theodicy," of explaining how evil and God can exist in the same universe at the same time.

Now a few days ago my wife, Carolyn, came across a website called CityAlight, by a church in Australia. Their worship team has come up with some hymns that are very sing-able and also solid theologically.

The song that moved me to tears was a hymn written for children. And it puts those questions of theodicy in terms that kids can understand: That God is not lacking in strength, He's not lacking in love, and those things come together in the cross of Jesus Christ. It's a song that I want to sing to my grandchildren, I may even have it sung at my funeral. And feeling that strongly about it, I wanted to share it with you.

Jesus said
That if I thirst
I should come to him
No one else can satisfy
I should come to him

Jesus said
If I am weak
I should come to him
No one else can be my strength
I should come to him

For the Lord is good and faithful
He will keep us day and night
We can always run to Jesus
Jesus, strong and kind

Jesus said
That if I fear
I should come to him
No one else can be my shield
I should come to him

For the Lord is good and faithful
He will keep us day and night
We can always run to Jesus
Jesus, strong and kind

Jesus said if I am lost
He will come to me
And he showed me on that cross
He will come to me

For the Lord is good and faithful
He will keep us day and night
We can always run to Jesus
Jesus, strong and kind

For the Lord is good and faithful
He will keep us day and night
We can always run to Jesus
Jesus, strong and kind
Jesus, strong and kind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5Y8s-Sz_ac
|"Jesus, Strong and Kind" recorded at Studios 301 and live at St Paul's Castle Hill.
Words and Music By Jonny Robinson,  Rich Thompson, Michael Farren & Colin Buchanan
© 2019 CityAlight Music
NOTE: The track is available for purchase at Amazon, etc.