Archive article 14
The tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti constitutes a warning to all of us!
I’ve never allowed myself to see someone suffer with a sense of personal self-satisfaction for the pain which I thought was merited. As a child my parents were glad when I was hurt because, as they often said;
“You wanted to do it, so now you must pay the price of the consequences.”
Sure, I knew there was a consequence for my disobedience, but as I’ve grown up, whenever I’ve seen someone suffer, I couldn’t find the phrase in my heart: “It serves you right!” Although I see the pain I still reach up to God for His merciful healing and help!
This is really because I can’t find in God even the smallest sign of pleasure in inflicting suffering. Even when the word “revenge” is used of God, I don’t find any feeling of pleasure in the grief which ensues. When God inflicts His awful judgment, it’s always with a precise sense of something measured and applied. His afflictions, even when catastrophic are always filled with purpose and significance. They are never capricious. The text in the book of Lamentations 332 “...though he brings grief, he will show compassion” seems quite representative and axiomatic.
It’s in the light of this that I believe that these catastrophic earthquake in Haiti deserve a different interpretation from the one normally being given. These are not “only” tragic events causing great suffering, but they are also much more! As we see on our TV sets the scenes of desperation of the wounded who are waiting for some sort of medical relief, or of tiny tots, now orphans, who must live the rest of their life fighting for their existence, or the poor striving for any piece of food, I know that this incredible pain is not outside of God’s wisdom and care for our world.
I know that this is not simply the revenge of a hateful God. I can’t find any justification either for calling this earthquake, or even the Tsunami a few years ago: “a natural calamity”. Yes, I see how nature’s order has suddenly yielded to a terrible disorder, but I know that the old Spiritual is still true: “He’s got the whole world in His hands”
While we are watching the unfolding scenario of a nation with incredible suffering, and many nations working together to bring relief and help, I have not yet heard anyone speak of God in a positive way, or of a need for all of us to fear Him. And this bothers me. It seems that God is spoken of as being quite cruel rather than Him perhaps “calling-mankind-to-fear-Him-and-repent.” He is normally accused of being unjust so we, mankind, must make up for it by building a better world.
A very important theme which runs through the book of Isaiah was the warning God constantly gave His people to trust Him and not political alliances. For nearly 50 years, the life of Isaiah, Israel, squeezed between the rival powers of Babylon and Egypt, was tempted to ally itself to the one or the other. Over and over again God warned them to not trust in human pacts
(Isaia 311 “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help...”)
What was wrong with an alliance? It was wrong because it induced the people of God to trust in men and their ability to rescue. And this is the error we are seeing in Haiti. Not the massive help the nations are passionately pouring in – but the faith that is being put in men’s ability to build a world which can be run without God.
In these years of serious economic crisis I have not heard one man in public office speak of turning to God. Each economical action or political manoeuvre is base solely on calculations which completely ignore God our Creator. It’s as if He did not exist. But that’s wrong. He does. He is not absent but very present. And even when he moves in the form of a calamity, He is not moving without a clear design. Through historic situations He is speaking to nations, and in this particular case, He is speaking to an entire world!
All our worthy humanitarian efforts, good, important and necessary as they are, will be vain if we do not understand that behind the destruction is a clear call to turn to God. For over 50 years (BC 745 – 695 circa) Isaiah pled with his nation to turn to God:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (Is 3015) And this he said because “The Lord longs to be gracious to you: He rises to show you compassion” (3018)
Let’s not interpret the tragedy of Haiti believing that God is hostile, absent or indifferent. Let’s listen to His judgment so that all our efforts as we pour in aid are accompanied by a fear of God and a return to Him. Only then will a new society be built which is reconstructed without and within!
Paul Finch, pastor
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