What good is a God who decides to create a universe, a really awesome planet with life - Earth, and then just step back and watch everything evolve and degrade into a big social, environmental, and immoral mess? 

At the same time, how different would our world and our human nature be if God intervened and controlled us and everything around us at the first thought or action of something negative and harmful?

Thankfully, neither one of the above scenarios is how our world and universe functions.  God throughout history and in the design of our universe proves to be a loving and caring God.  God gives us the guidance and means to bring goodness into our lives and community.  God does not force us into accepting Him and controls us like robots, thereby stripping us of our free will and humanity.

So how does God interact with us?  God in the eons of human presence has always initiated and pursued a relationship with us; which makes sense He designed us and made us be.  Jesus was here in person 2,000 years ago; God willing to the live within the existence He created and showing His love to us by delivering His message in person.

Jesus didn't just come to live, he purposefully came to be sacrificed.  A sacrifice to cover the consequence of our selfishness and arrogance before a Holy and Almighty God.  Jesus spoke about this before his death:   

Jesus said “At this moment the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out.  And I, when I am lifted up on the cross, as I am lifted up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me.  …If you trust me, you are really trusting God who sent me.  For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.  …I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you.  This Friend is the Spirit of Truth.  I will not leave you orphaned. I'm coming back.  In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you're going to see me because I am alive and you're about to come alive.  At that moment you will know absolutely that I'm in my Father, and you're in me, and I'm in you.  …But now I am on my way to the One who sent me. …It's better for you that I leave. If I don't leave, the Friend won't come. But if I go, I'll send him to you.  When he comes, he'll expose the error of the godless world's view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He'll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted.  I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now.  But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said.  He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you."   (These words are found in the writings of John the Apostle, Chapters 12, 14, & 16.)

Right now as you read this, the Spirit of God is with you, near you, in the very place where you're at.  This is the Spirit of Jesus calling to you in your heart and mind, desiring to know you, comfort you, and guide you.  If you call out to the Spirit, pray, the Spirit of God will listen and respond to you.