On Earthquakes and Other Natural Disasters . . .

Each day the news out of Haiti grows more depressing. Just this morning I read in the paper that the estimated death toll has now risen to 200,000. And those who survived are experiencing misery heaped upon misery. There are critical shortages of food, water and medical supplies. All of this means that the death toll will continue to climb as people die of a lack of basic necessities and untreated injuries and illness. One report I viewed on a network newscast made a reference to what medical treatment that was happening as "Civil War medicine." In the Civil War (pre-antibiotics), infections would often develop in soldiers' wounded limbs. To prevent gangrene (which would eventually kill the wounded soldier), army surgeons would have no choice but to amputate. This situation is repeating itself today in Haiti. One television reporter concluded her report last night by saying that Haiti will become a land of amputees - due to the vast number of survivors with crushed limbs who are losing their limbs in order to save their lives.

I don't know about you, but as I watched the report last night, my eyes got a little sweaty ... OK .... a lot sweaty. This is sad. I cannot imagine the pain and suffering of these men, women and children. We must do all we can to help (have YOU given toward Haiti relief yet?  Are you praying daily for the relief effort ... and for the proclamation of the gospel there in the midst of this darkness?). But one thing we must NOT do -- and that is lay the responsibility for this catastrophe at the feet of God. Some will do this. Some will say, "There can be no God, for a loving an all powerful God would not allow this to happen."  But this perspective has lost sight of the fact that God never intended this world with all of its natural disasters as the world for us to live in. Absolutely not! We (humanity) messed this world up when we decided to rebel against our God (see the record of this rebellion that we refer to as "The Fall" in Genesis 3). As a result of our rebellion (a.k.a. "sin"), this world is "in bondage to decay" (Romans 8:21). Therefore, natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. happen and will continue to happen. And when they do - we can only blame ourselves.

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

P.S. - For a more in depth (and excellent) discussion on this tragedy and God's perspective on it, go to Al Mohler's blog at http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/14/does-god-hate-haiti/.