Long before Jesus, the book of Job addresses the problem of evil.
Not only "why is their so much suffering in the world created by
a righteous, all-powerful God" but "why is this suffering heaped,
at times, upon the righteous and the apple of his eye – God's own people.
I was told long ago by an Old Testament Professor (who had studied
theology at Yale or Harvard or Union Seminary) that Job is not given
a propositional answer. Rather, he is offered the very presence of God, the
one who threw the stars into their constellations and spoke the
universe into being. I see some merit in this argument. Especially,
since God, so to speak, holds all the cards, and I a wee loath to challenge his
infinite wisdom. Not to mention  power.

Early this week I posted Tom Harpur’s recent article facing up to the
cost and pain involved as God's people  grapple with changing Christian theology to make it relevant/credible to modern men/women.
The theologically naïve say what's really needed is  modern folk to
latch onto a keen sense of sin and its concomitant guilt, fall to their
knees and beg God's forgiveness. We all could use a more acute sense
of sin and leave off wronging our brothers and sisters and God. Yet,
Harpur is really saying we have to reconcile the good news (Gospel) with our modern world view. Not to mention new insights by The Jesus
Seminar into what Jesus said/did and didn’t say/do. This strikes
at the hearts of Christians and hits them solidly right where they live. Like a two-by-four between the eyes Harpur continues "Now, that I’ve got your attention……..  

The interesting thing is that right next to Harpur’s article, in last Sunday's
Toronto Star, is another religious religious article, more on the conservative side. This writer wrote an excellent description of his canoe trip last summer that landed him on the east shore of Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba. Using the canoe as one wall, and tarpaulin as roof, along with some rocks, and brush our staunch adventurer created a refuge in the wilderness. ( with no one
in any direction for  miles.)

As he walked on the beach that day he saw a red object sitting upon a rock. It was a red toolbox. Containing a screwdriver, hammer and pliers.

Then,  he noticed dark storm clouds forming in the west and  rapidly
blowing his way.  Soon he was stood in the center of a storm that could be better described as a hurricane or tornado rather that a summer thunderstorm.  He hunched down in his makeshift shelter while the
fierce winds and heavy downpour beat upon the tarpaulin.

As quickly as it arose the storm abated. When the lone canoeist opened his eyes  he realized his tarpaulin has disappeared and the canoe, too!! (The wise man built his hut not upon the sand but upon the rock with steel reinforced concrete!)

But his sadness quickly turned to joy when he found the canoe not far along
the beach.  Disappointment returned when he realized it had been
heavily damaged in the storm's thrashing. One side of the canoe was
split. But the fiberglass kit he had would soon fix that.  Alas, there was
serious damage to the canoes’ frame. The gunwale was broken on one side. One seat, was missing.  A thwart had also disappeared. Only a miracle would render this canoe seaworthy again.
 
Then, elated, our friend remembered the tool kit delivered
by God earlier  to that very beach. Friend and foe can laugh but
our Christian canoeist is convinced that God intervened miraculously
to save his canoe if not life.  The toolbox was deliberately set on the beach
for him .   Well, with the tools he did repair his canoe and returned to
civilization.

Perhaps, the Toronto Star wants balanced religious commentary.  So next
to Harpur's essentially radical liberal stuff you have the traditional fare
reporting  God's miraculous  intervention in the world to save the righteous believer.

I guess after all is said and done I can't tell God what he can and cannot do.
However, over the years many folk have perished in the barren north
and even reduced to eating their travel companions.  I'm sure God views this
as a serious no-no and is very unhappy  when this state of affairs pops up from time to time in the wilderness.  Also, when there is no magic toolbox  loaded with chocolate bars and emergency transmitter for search and rescue,  God is at a loss to explain why he did  not  provide miraculously to ensure human survival.  I might suggest to the almighty he has folk on his list slated for preferential care, but Jesus made it plain God doesn't operate that
way.   Basically, he wants to shower the evil  with chocolate bars as
well as the righteous.

Also the miraculous toolbox smells a bit like the God of the gaps who
is damned to eternal repeated  retreats  to a marginalized outer darkness.
In other words when modern science or technology solves or explains a mystery once considered the turf of the Inscrutable Divine One, he, with embarrassment must get off his high perch and take a lower seat.  At least till he's assigned a new mystery science cannot explain, yet.

Now there are numerous canoe, weather incidents each year where God can still sneak  his hand in and show he still cares with a bit of a miracle. But as time goes on  modern technology will crimp his style.  In ten years, and often now, no one will venture into the wilderness or jungle or Arctic without a  Geosynchronous Position Locator device.  Accurate within one or two meters.  And with a digital mobile phone the adventurer who has
lost or damaged his boat will contact Search and Rescue or dear old mom
and dad to effect a rescue.  God will be definitely  peeved by this.  He'll receive fewer and fewer calls for rescue and any handy miracle.   Yes, I know,
God will certainly  tempted to create a solar storm and send ions, particles earthward to fry the innards of GPL's and  digital phones.  But I really
doubt he will stoop to such petty tactics.

What to do?  Soon, God will forsake altogether  the miracle business.  And
when the light bulb goes on will remind folk He, after all, created silicon,
vibrating electrons (electro-magnetic waves of speed of light) and made
possible the GPL's and phones in the first place.  Yes, miracles of communication in their own right.  Miracles that won't be explained away
by science and cause the Lord to hang his head as some smart ass Harvard Ph.D. figures out the scientific reason the red toolbox was on the beach in the first place.