Navigating Life in the Midst of Natural Disasters

The horror of the massive earthquake in Haiti is beyond our human capacity to fathom. When we see and hear about the anguish of destroyed cities, mangled bodies, broken lives, mass graves and the stench of death, we feel intense grief and despair. Many react by asking the question, “Why has all this senseless suffering happened?” In other words, “This is WRONG…and somebody (maybe God) has to be blamed for it!” So...does God’s Word have anything to say about natural disasters? Read on:

1. Death (however it happens) was Never God’s Intention for Humankind. God gave Adam and Eve freedom of choice and commanded them to rule over everything in the Garden (including evil personified as a snake)! “Freedom” meant that they had options….obey God’s voice or listen to the serpent. God’s warning is like a protective fence at the precipice of a deep canyon. If you purposefully leap over it…you die! (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:16-17) Now, whose fault is that?

2. Adam and Eve Failed to Comprehend How Much Was at Stake in the Garden. Our first parents represented the entire human race. The consequences of their sin spread to all mankind…and even to nature itself. Ever since then all people, regardless of their relationship to God, live in a world riddled with sickness, disease and disaster. We are ALL subject to the violet elements of the earth (Gen. 3:17-18; Rom.5:12; 8:19-22). Now, whose fault is that?

3. Don’t Try to Turn Natural Disasters into God’s Judgment upon a Certain People or Nation. Look at how Jesus dealt with two tragedies: 1) The mass-murder of Galileans by a brutal ruler; 2) A tower that fell and crushed people to death (Luke 13:1-5). He short-circuited judgmental attitudes that sought to condemn those victims as being worst sinners than other people. Instead of addressing why God didn’t prevent disaster, He pressed people to get right with God before they die!

4. Redemption Secures Our Eternal Relationship with God…not a Pain-free Life! The Apostle John suffered on Patmos and the other disciples were all killed. Paul suffered shipwrecks and beatings and was eventually beheaded. The great evangelist Billy Graham has endured Parkinson's disease for the last 15 years. No doubt, there were many God-fearing committed Christians that died in the Twin Towers in 2001. It’s a broken world…and God didn’t break it!

How does a good and merciful God view natural disasters? He’s deeply aware of our suffering and is moved with great compassion (Ex. 3:7; Matt. 9:36). So, what does God do? He puts His compassion in human hearts to help the helpless (Ex. 3:10). By the thousands, people risk their lives to help others. But why didn’t God stop all those people from dying? One Bible commentator said it like this: The real question is not “Why did others die?” but “Why am I still alive?” We should ask, “Is it worth it to God for me to be alive?” Use your time well on earth, my friend. Life is short and we only have one chance to serve God and make a difference in the lives of others. Live it for the glory of God!

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