It's Not God's Vengence

You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm driving against a wall (Isaiah 25:4 NIV)

Oh, yes... the crazies are speaking...the people who think they know the mind of God.  Every time a disaster strikes they tell us exactly why God has sent this current plague.  Today they tell us that God is killing innocent people in the northeast U.S. because he hates gay people!  How do they know this storm isn't God's anger over  them... people who hate other people?  And why the northeast U.S.?  Are there no gay people in the rest of the world?  There are many countries who have already legalized gay marriage.  If this is such a big issue for God, wouldn't he concentrate on wiping out those countries first?  Or is it just because he is especially angry with the U.S. for some reason?

When Pastor Setzer was interim at Holy Cross, he gave an excellent sermon on this subject of natural disasters.  I could never say it as eloquently, but he made a lot of sense.  Briefly put, he told us that humanity and nature are separate creations.  People, in doing the things they need to do to survive, often interfere with nature.  We clear forests, we pump for oil, we dig for precious metals and we destroy the natural habitats of wildlife as we make room for our own homes.  God does not make this stuff happen because he is angry with nature.  People just do what people do and nature just happens to be in our way.

But nature's activities also interfere with people.  Continental plates must shift, forest fires are needed to bring new and healthier trees, even hurricanes are necessary to regulate precipitation needs around the world.  They often bring tragic loss of human life as well as expensive damages.  But this is not God "getting even."  It is just nature doing what nature does.  We just happen to be in the way.

As intelligent beings, we do have a responsibility to be more careful about how we treat nature and our natural resources.  That's just good stewardship.  But we needn't think God is "out to get" anybody simply because of storms, fires or earthquakes.  On the contrary... God is with us through the storms.  He holds our hands when we are frightened by the wind and he grieves with us in the losses we incur when nature causes human disaster.

Let us pray for those who have lost loved ones and homes during this most recent natural disaster:

Father, 
We lift to you all of those who have lost loved ones in the storm.  We lift to you those who are now homeless because of this hurricane.  Hold them close and reassure them of your love.  Help us to be Jesus with skin on for them as we offer our time, talents and treasure to help them rebuild their lives.  Be with those who are still enduring the wind, rain and flooding.  Calm there fears with your presence.  Amen.

Joys:  Some yoga with Cecelia this morning; a warm house in cold weather; the stories of courage and generosity that we are sure to hear after the storm subsides.