As we've seen pictures of Hurricane Sandy's devastation of the Eastern seaboard, our hearts go out to our friends in New Jersey and New York. We respond to brokenness with brokenness. And in our effort to make sense of even a little of it, we find ourselves at loss. We can, at this moment, perfectly relate to the skeptics among us who doubt the love of God and question His presence. We don't join their cynicism, but we understand it today.
It's too easy to look at homes reduced to kindling or cars stacked like toy boats and ask: "Where is God in this mess?"
There will be others who take the opposite track and view it all as God's own idea - punishment - retribution - 'I'll show you sinners a thing or two' - judgment. If that's your opinion, please hold your tongue. You would be hard-pressed to make that case.
Whatever one believes, it's an opportunity to pray and ask God to provide a good outcome and ask for those who haven't yet trusted in Christ to put their hope in Him as a result. When Christians pray, things move.
One other thing is certain: Nothing happens on this planet outside of God's providence, even though we are speechless to adequately provide answers today. We know our Earth is under a curse because of sin and we know that Jesus, by His work of redemption, will one day provide a place where no such tragedies are known.
For that we wait with great expectation.
And be blessed.
'It's too easy to look at homes reduced to kindling or cars stacked like toy boats and ask: "Where is God in this mess?"'
It's too easy to look at homes reduced to kindling or cars stacked like toy boats and ask: "Where is God in this mess?"
There will be others who take the opposite track and view it all as God's own idea - punishment - retribution - 'I'll show you sinners a thing or two' - judgment. If that's your opinion, please hold your tongue. You would be hard-pressed to make that case.
Whatever one believes, it's an opportunity to pray and ask God to provide a good outcome and ask for those who haven't yet trusted in Christ to put their hope in Him as a result. When Christians pray, things move.
One other thing is certain: Nothing happens on this planet outside of God's providence, even though we are speechless to adequately provide answers today. We know our Earth is under a curse because of sin and we know that Jesus, by His work of redemption, will one day provide a place where no such tragedies are known.
For that we wait with great expectation.
And be blessed.
2 comments:
My heart breaks for all of the people affected by this. Most especially New York. It seems not so awfully long ago that they went thru the horrors of 9/11. I am in the midst of our 10 day fast and I will be praying greatly for them.
When God created Earth it was perfect. Now, there are so many "Acts of God". I know you said the world is under a curse from sin, do you suppose these devastating catastrophies are a culmination of our sin over time and the ways that we have misused the world God gave us? I have heard other pastors on tv say that. I just don't know.
I do believe that we will see incredible acts of kindness and love for one another. That is what happened in the aftermath of 9/11. It is times like these that we see the true goodness of people.
I can't help but put myself in their shoes. I am watching the coverage in my warm, comfortable, safe apt, with light and food and drink. I can't really imagine what I would do if I lost everything I had. It would be, in some ways, terrifying.
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