Tsunami

The horrifying devastation caused by the earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean recently continues to send aftershocks rippling through the hearts and minds of people all over the world whose sense of security has been disturbingly shaken. However, taking a broader view, staggering tragedies, often of breathtaking magnitude, have been a part of man's history since the beginning. It is part of the mystery and parcel to the reality of life on this planet. The Bible helps us to put these things in the perspective of eternity as nothing else can. It opens with a scene of chaos...many believe a picture of the aftermath of a catclysmic destruction. Out of this vast nothingness, it is the voice of God that brings order and light. Throughout the Bible we are reminded of this reality. Job, whose life had been utterly turned upside down with great suddeness and for reasons that were beyond his grasp, speaks of man's life as being of few days and full of trouble. Job is a timeless story of faith in a world of uncertainty...the oldest book appropriately dealing with the oldest of problems: "why?" The book, the story, and the man speak to us powerfully about trusting God when you can't see, when you can't understand, when nothing makes sense...which is more often the case than not...that is reality. The 42 chapters of Job reveal all aspects of the life of faith not sight. We find Job in spiritual ecstasy: "I know my redeemer liveth." We also find him in the pit of despair: (Job 3:11 KJV) "Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?" In all of it the important message is that Job clung to his faith and God was faithful to honor it. God spoke to him and he does today to those that trust Him. God rewarded his faith by blessing his latter end. Again the message is entirely harmonious with all of Scripture. Paul speaking from faith's perspective, refers to his own afflictions which were grevious and many:(2 Cor 4:17-18 KJV) "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; {18} While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." In the late going of the New Testament Peter reminds us that destruction is never a matter of "if" but "when." In (2 Pet 3:10-13 KJV) He writes: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." He then gives us an inspired and entirely practical response to these facts in verse 11: "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, {12} Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? {13} Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." This of course is the message of Jesus, the God man, the Christ... He makes it plain that counting on things in this life is unwise...(Luke 12:33 KJV) "Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth." His is a pure distillation of divine wisdom in response to the often jarring reality of life on this planet...its tragedy...its uncertainty...its brevity...its sin. So how does one go about providing "bags which wax not old...a treasure in the heavens?" Jesus tells us to believe in Him, for "whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3.15)...and then live always prepared to die...as He did..."love one another, as I have loved you." This too is a timeless message...it is God's message...a message of hope in a world that so often seems hopeless.