Week 39 - God Knows
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” (Matthew 10:29)
The year 2004 ended in tears and fear for the millions in South Asia. The tsunami caused one of the worst natural disasters in memory with a death toll exceeding that in Hiroshima after the dropping of the atomic bomb. The shock travelled around the world. In response, Christians donated money, and Christian relief organizations were on the ground in coastal regions throughout the Indian Ocean.
A tsunami resulting from an earthquake is but a natural event. Even though it was not specifically sent by God, a question on everyone’s lip is: Why did He let it happen?
God is not powerless as some have suggested. It is true that there is a great deal that we do not understand about God. The huge devastation resulting from the tsunami once again raises the question: Is God good but not all powerful, or is He all powerful but not good? But as CS Lewis in his book The Problem of Pain reminds us, love sometimes relinquishes power and goodness can be far from pleasurable or tame. We know that we do not really understand love or good, much less God. What we do know is that people are in trouble and we should be helping.
The best thing that Christians can do is to pray for the survivors of disasters and provide aid where possible. That is what the early church did in times of disaster known to them (
Something Good
Section titled “Something Good”We are promised that “God works all things together for good for those who love God” (
A spokesman from an international mission organization reported: “Many of the coastlines that have been devastated are in places where Christians are very heavily persecuted. Pray that this may be an opportunity for local believers and relief workers to provide love and assistance, that people will see the face of Christ and that they will respond.”
Throughout history we have seen that God, again and again, works through wars, natural disasters and massive tragedies to “open large doors that have been tightly closed.” I believe He will do it once more.
God Knows
Section titled “God Knows”A friend emailed me an article about the tsunami published in the New York Times by columnist William Safire entitled, “Where was God?” I replied to my friend promptly: “God was there!”
Are you experiencing a “tsunami” in your life right now? Are your dreams being washed away? Are your problems so heavy that you are struggling to stay afloat? If so, take comfort, brothers and sisters, for God knows what you are going through right now. Just reach out to Him for He cares for you.
Once, I witnessed a toddler in a playground trying out an obstacle that was too demanding for her age. She fell and was injured. With tears in her eyes, she looked towards her daddy who was sitting on a bench nearby. Upon seeing him, still with tears streaming down her cheeks, she managed a smile. It was enough to know that her daddy knows. How much more will we be comforted in our distress when we know that our Heavenly Father knows.