The question of where God was when the tsunami hit Asia a couple weeks ago is one that has really been getting under my skin, and not just because it shows a lack of general faith among the populace. It is bothering me because it serves to highlight some fallacies in religious philosophy that are commonplace in today’s world. Let me go through a few statements that you have heard before and show you what I’m getting at here.
Where was God?
Where was He? He was there the whole time, working in the lives of those affected by the disaster. There may be some there who have been shaken up by this typhoon who He has elected according to His own purpose. God is not a vindictive God who delights in harming anyone, though He is a God who allows the world to behave according to the desires of its prince.
And who can we blame? Ourselves. Humanity has a covenant with Satan that has been signed not in blood, but with one bite of disobedience. We believed the serpent over God who had plainly seen to our every need. That declaration of independence is more than a blatant disregard for the wishes of our creator. It is a statement that we are more than capable of fending for ourselves, thank you very much. We express a willingness to take all of the credit for any accomplishment that happens but are unwilling to take any blame when a world set against the will of its creator has an underwater upheaval.
Where was God? He has been giving people an added dose of comfort when some of them turn to Him. He has been allowing others to wait in uncertainty a bit longer when this suits His purpose. He has been holding various plagues in check and has been prompting His church to aid those affected in the path of the rushing waters. This aid comes from churches sending money as well as people at the site ministering to the many needs of the victims.
This topic came up on another blog recently. For the life of me, I can’t find a link, so if you know of this please let me know. Anyway, an interesting observation was made that the only reason people aren’t asking why Buddha or Allah or Baal or any other worshiped figure hasn’t been questioned is because none of them ever claimed to care about us. I find it difficult to believe that not a one of the gods worshiped around the world has ever been said to have made such a claim, but it does make a point. God has promised to remain with us. It’s what the name Immanuel means. God with us.
Where is God? He is ministering to the people through His church, and more importantly, through Himself.
By blind fate, he was spared.
We’ve all heard the stories and rumors. A woman clings to a branch as gushes of water come by and, at million to one odds, is rescued when all hope seemed lost. A man clings to a broken door frame miles out at sea and, luckily, is picked up just when the end seemed near. As chance would have it, the sickness in the vicinity of the tsunami is nowhere near as bad as the plague-like forecasts. That is written off and barely mentioned, but make no mistake. The death toll from this tsunami was indeed massive, but the death toll due to sickness from this disaster has been nowhere near projections.
Everything that was less deadly than it could have been is always a twist of fate, yet everything that was more deadly than we would have liked must have been an act of God. Why is this? Are we so prone to think of God as a large bully who is ready to hurl catastrophe upon us for our sins rather than a benevolent God who would save some from the destruction that must come to the heavens and earth one day, lest His justice be infringed upon? Is it too much to say that someone spared certain doom by the most unlikely means survived by the will of God? Is that too intolerant?
This is why I am so loathe to promote such ideas. It ranks right up there with “He performs so well, he must have sold his soul to the Devil.” It is the matter of the world assuming that everything evil must originate with a decree by God and everything good either coming from the self or Satan. I realize that these are just phrases of speech, but let’s think about what we have to say before we say it.
Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
January 14th, 2005 at 4:23 am
We have each turned aside to our own ways…yet we dare accuse God, as if He has done wrong, when calamity strikes. Thanks for dismantling our weird and even blasphemous thinking.
January 28th, 2005 at 7:27 pm
Can you comment on this?
Should we blame the Devil? I am confused.
http://www.thecity.org/pastor/index.htm
(This is the text of the link)
The City ChurchService Times & Locations Mission Statement Contact Home Information Ministries Calendar Audio / Visual Bookstore Pastor’s Perspective
Tsunami Disaster
January 2005
It is being called the largest single disaster in history with the greatest loss of life ever for a single natural occurrence. Now over 150,000 people confirmed dead in 12 different nations in South Asia. Over 5 million people are homeless and many villages and towns have been completely wiped out. Major governments of the world and relief agencies around the globe have mobilized man power and resources to aid the victims of this horrible tragedy. Our prayers and thoughts are focused on this part of the world in a special way, believing that the Lord can turn evil into good during this difficult time for so many.
It is also vital for Christians to know what they believe about such tragic events. Here is a pastoral perspective that we trust will help.
This was not an act of God as some people say. But rather it was a natural tragedy caused by the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4) whose sole purpose is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a). We know that the created world has been subjected to futility and groans in travail (Rom. 8: 20-22) until God’s purposes are revealed and fulfilled. The devil is the source of all evil and God is the source of all good. Satan does everything possible to ruin lives, while God is always at work to redeem and rescue.
This is an opportunity for the Church worldwide to arise (Acts 11:28-30) and serve the people of Asia with compassion and mercy and in tangible ways to show the love of God (1 John 3:17,18) and build a platform for the Gospel.
Tens of thousands of people have tragically lost their lives in this disaster. But we must remember that millions more around the world are dying each year without Christ or without hearing the Gospel of Jesus (2 Cor. 5:10). This event should remind believers everywhere of the primacy of preaching the Gospel to those who do not know the Lord or who have never heard. The Commission of Christ is still our top priority (Matt 28:19,20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; John 20:21; Acts 1:8)
Life is brief (Psalm 90:12) and uncertain (Prov. 27:1) and all of us should prepare ourselves to be ready for eternity (1 Peter 3:15) and warn others to do the same (2 Cor. 5:11).
May the Lord use this event to motivate all of us regarding life’s priorities. And may the God who turns evil into good and works all things together for good in the lives of believers, turn this tragedy into a worldwide focus on faith and eternal values.
Pastor Wendell
January 29th, 2005 at 4:31 pm
There are different ways of looking at this. Did Satan cause the ground to buckle under the ocean floor with the express purpose of creating a tsunami? I’m not so sure he did, but cannot say with certainty.
I agree totally that the groaning of a creation that is set at odds with its creator is the cause of this. The groaning is the product of the fall of man, so in a sense, Satan has a hand in it, but so do we, as people who are set against our creator. When you point to the devil for every evil in the world, you make it easier to point away from yourself this way.
So did Sandy cause this? No. Neither did Doug. But both of us are guilty for living lives contrary to the wishes of our creator. As redeemed people, we have a responsibility to help those who are harmed in this, both out of a personal stance as well as a stance of acting as representatives of our Lord.
The UN and Red Cross are both trying to help out and we can support them in this effort. To have a greater impact, though, see the missionaries in that part of the world who are acting as direct representatives. The contributions funneled through them are more in line with both kinds of aid that the people need.
We cannot hold Satan to aid these people,we can only hold ourselves to that kind of standard. Thus, we need to bear a sense of responsibility. Do not hold so much responsibility, though, that it weakens your faith. Let us use this responsibility as an opportunity to spread the gospel to those who haven’t heard it, supplying necessities to all who ask, and sharing the gospel with all who will listen.
February 3rd, 2005 at 12:29 pm
You might be interested in recommending this website and companion book:”Putting God on Trial: The Biblical Book of Job” (Trafford, Victoria, 2004)(http://www.bookofjob.org)
The book was highly praised by leading Job scholars: Clines, Habel, Janzen and by the Review of Biblical Literature. The entire commentary is online.
It was written by a Anglican Canadian criminal defense lawyer who argues the Book of Job presents a Hegelian theodicy, where God is causally responsible for the undeserved evil that befalls Job (and by implication us), but not morally blameworthy for it. Such undeserved evil is morally necessary to bring the existence of God as a God of goodness into doubt and sever any necessary connection between righteousness and reward. Only in such a world is the existence of a truely selfless love of men and women for God possible.
Robert Sutherland