Wow

Wow, God must be really ticked off. Think of all these disasters: Aids, Hurricane Katrina, earthquakes in China, Haiti, Mexicali and Seeley, and then, most devastating of all, I stepped in some gum the other day and my shoe stuck to Wal Mart’s floor for a whole hour! Gum on my shoe! How does a loving God fit into that?
If you read blogs or listen to certain television hosts it seems that God is really pouring out his wrath lately. Literally every time there is a natural disaster or plague you can count on Pat Robertson or Pastor Billy Bob Bumpkin of the “Conservative Fundamental Holier Than You Church” in Resume Speed, Oklahoma telling whoever will listen that God is pouring out his wrath for this reason or that reason. And the media listens! You can count on Keith Olbermann naming Pastor Bumpkin the “Worst Person In The World.” You know that the newspapers and cable news shows will cover every inane statement these guys make so they can have something controversial to talk about.
Please allow me to explain. I have absolutely no doubt that God is able to bend storms, cause natural disasters or even make it rain frogs. He is God, he has that kind of power. The question is, does he use it? Does God look down and say, “You know, Imperial County and Mexicali are so wicked that I am going to cause some major pain in that region. That’ll show ‘em!” Really? Is that really what happened? I don’t think so.
Is this the same God that sent his only son to die for humanity? The same humanity that he seems bent on wiping out? If God was going to wipe people out willy-nilly, why send Jesus at all? Why make your son go through the agony and torture of puberty, let alone death on a cross?
Trust me, the day is coming when God’s judgment is going to fall. The Book of Revelation details what is going to happen when God finally closes the book on our world. It is going to be pretty hairy, and I want no part of it.
In the meantime, though, we have to be careful assigning blame to God for every natural disaster that comes our way. It is important for Christians to remember that God sent Jesus to die for everyone. John 3:16-18 says, "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.”
Does that sound like the God who would willy nilly knock people out of their homes and destroy businesses and lives? Or does it sound like the God who would send his son to die for us and then expect his followers to show others his love? I think the idea is obvious.
I believe that God would be better served by Christians showing compassion in these times of crisis than by showing judgment. How about using the gifts he has given us to make the lives of those who have been hurt better? My wife did a couple of stints at the Office of Emergency Services Command Center. It was amazing watching the different agencies banding together to make sure that those whose lives had been turned upside down got the help that they needed.
My church, Remnant, did its part, and is continuing to do more. That is the only mention you will ever hear of what he have done. You see, our act of service is between us and God. We didn’t do it for a press release or a mention in the paper. We did it because it is what we felt God would have us do.
What would God have you do? It may be a big thing or it may be a small thing. The important thing is to do something! And sorry, telling everyone that God is pouring out his wrath on folks doesn’t count. Nor does it help. Nor does it show people who God really is. So stop it, will you?
Still waiting for the shaking to stop… Jerry