This is a question many ask when they see the wars and natural disasters surrounding us. If God is a God of love why was there an earthquake in Venezuela taking more than 1400 lives? And we can go across the globe posing the same question about wars, disease, starvation, brutality, and more. We hear of it daily, leading many to reject the teaching of a loving God.
I am certainly not here to give you the answers to all these trials. I am not here to try to explain all of God’s ways. I am just a person in the midst of this broken world as you are. And God, being God, isn’t required to explain Himself to us. However, I think we can point our eyes in another direction that may provide some comfort and truth.
In the midst of the Venzuealan tragedy a story came out from rescuers digging through the rubble of an apartment building. They found an infant alive, cradled in the arms of the dead mother who had shielded her as the building was collapsing. We see in this the great sacrificial love of a mother, willing to give her life for the sake of her child. We see the grace of God protecting the infant so that it can continue to see life.
If we ask why the disaster? We must also ask why this beauty and life? And this is not the only story of blessing in the midst of tragedy. There are many. We don’t have all the answers. But we are called to trust our lives in all circumstances to a God who felt our hurt and brokenness so deeply that He came among us Himself. We see in Jesus the depth of God’s love for all people. We see in Jesus the only source of hope. We see in Jesus our meaning in life, and our strength to continue each new day. We see in Jesus the truth that He will, one day, bring all things to their right and good conclusion.
It is this Jesus that we trust and worship.
Pastor Irv