Most of the time, I don’t add anything to the conversations regarding
disasters. I don’t think my small voice can really add to what’s
already being said. In all honesty, I often feel disconnected from
these disasters or wars (etc.) and wind up not dwelling on them much.
Daniel Schorr’s editorial got to me though—not that he said anything
smart, but rather that he asked the old question “Why do bad things
happen?” while using it cast intelligent design in a bad light. You can
look at Abednego’s post regarding the argument, which I’m not dealing
with. Mostly, I’m thinking about the bad things and sharing why I think
they happen.
Too often I’ve read Christians callously waving off death and
launching into an explanation of “repent, lest it also happens to you”
that strikes me as extremely cold when coming from a mere mortal. When
the Creator God, the one who upholds all things says something like
this, you can at least understand that He actually knows why—but us
stupid maggots, groping around in the dark speaking such profundity
comes off a bit snide, and in all honesty, mindless.
It doesn’t end there. I’ve heard others that adhere so closely
to God’s causality of every single event that they’ll take disaster and
slap a “We deserve no better” label on it. Or the other group that
ignores God’s knowledge to the point of saying something like “God
didn’t know this would happen…sorry”.
Katrina turned Louisiana into a Third World country and I
haven’t heard death toll projections. The Tsunami killed about 200,000
people with about that amount missing. 7,000 died in one shot in an
earthquake in Afghanistan some time ago. I remember seeing projected
figures of 100,000 deaths in Iraq post-invasion. Many silently die in
the Sudan away from media eyes. Before everyone’s eyes we saw
9/11/2001. Hundreds of thousands have died from poverty, negligence and
violence. Humans, regenerate and unregenerate alike, huddling together
constantly trying to help during these disasters while our own societal
allowances are allowed to stand. For even in a so-called civilized
society thousands upon thousands have silently died in our modern day
Molech’s Flame: the operating table of the allowed abortion.
Christian’s don’t close your eyes—stare and weep.
There is so much wrong happening in this world—both from natural
disasters and man-made violence—that the question must be asked: Why do
bad things happen? Why does God not stop it? If there is a God where is
He?
Oh, God is near, in fact, even here. He is not a distant God
but close and standing with His arms wide open welcoming people to come
to Him. These disasters and rampant violence are not so much God
smacking us to turn to Him—when He does that we’ll know it—this is
Man’s domain (Earth) turning against his master (Man).
As Man matured he gained responsibility and has repeatedly
failed at it. The work of Man’s hands is hard and poisoned—all the
result of Man’s failure. To look at our realm where We have been given
the responsibility and to turn to the Sovereign King and blame Him is
beyond unwarranted—it’s reckless.
Did God know this would happen? I don’t doubt it, not for a
second. Could God have stopped any of this? Of course. God could have
stepped in at any point in our history and put a stop to all of this,
taken away man’s lordship and forcefully implemented His rules. Indeed,
He could have stepped into the heart of man and ripped it out, wiping
out the usefulness of man and leaving him a mindless husk—stopping all
this horror in advance.
But why? Would that have been seen as a right solution? Go in
and rip out what makes a man a man? Or would it be better if God
stepped in each time we made a mistake to set things right without
letting us realize that we are weak without His strength? Neither.
God saw Man’s urgent need before he even knew it. God sent His
Son, as a man to proclaim a message of His authority and rule over
men—yet He was rejected. God incarnate, among men His creation,
rejected and finally crucified on a hill outside of a small city that
should have known better. God incarnate, the Owner and Creator of the
Cosmos, repulsed by His creation: “We don’t need you.”
But He was the only one who lived right. He was the only one
who didn’t stray from the righteous path. If there was ever a man who
could be judged before the eyes of God as being perfect it was Him…and
men killed Him as an enemy.
Weep Christians, weep! Weep for the sick and dying, weep for
the broken-hearted, weep for the lost, weep for the disasters and the
wars and the pain because this is not God pouring out wrath, this is
Man reveling in his authority on a cursed planet while denying his
Maker.
God overturned that decision against His Son and raised Him
from the grave, seating Him in a position of power on a heavenly
throne. This day, this very moment, a Man sits in Heaven who is God and
is waiting the time to implement a right Kingdom operated by a perfect
Man—Himself.
Why does He wait? Why not do it right now?
He’s giving Men a chance. A moment to turn away from their sin
and look to Him as their only possible hope and salvation for when He
returns it will be to set things right with a heavy hand and justice.
Currently the world moans and heaves, in pain from what’s wracking her
body while the cancer in our own fiber further drives us to the
insatiable need for violence. Yet He waits making every moment a chance
of repentance.
Weep Christians…but don’t remain silent. Preach the gospel and
preach it honestly! Realize the horror and realize the import of what
is going on all around. The Lord is coming back one day and that should
not minimize what is happening around us—rather it should energize us.
-r-
It felt close enough to link to Shane’s Case For Conviction.