A Biblical Response to the Tsunami Disaster
Jonathan James
International Executive Director
Asia
Evangelistic Fellowship
How can we respond to the unprecedented devastation of precious lives, homes, infrastructure and villages caused by the recent mega thrust earthquake and Tsunami in the Indian Ocean?
We can respond in a human and fleshly way or we can respond in a spiritual and biblical way. God reminds us in Scripture:
“…For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…”
(Isa. 55:8)
Job the esteemed man of God suffered a series of terrible and tragic losses in his life and yet he declared:
“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
(Job 1:21)
Here are five biblical parameters to help us come to terms with the Tsunami Catastrophe.
The Effects of Sin in this World
God created a perfect world and everything was pronounced “good” (Gen. 1:31). Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s commandment and sin entered the world. Sin caused a four-fold alienation – man was separated from God (spiritual alienation), from himself (psychological alienation), from his fellow man (social alienation), and from nature (environmental alienation). This four-fold alienation explains the condition of our world today. All the problems in the world today are a result of the sinful condition of man.
No wonder Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus (John 11:35) and the Bible talks of creation groaning for it is under the corrupting influence of sin (Rom 8:21-22).
This groaning will continue until the “new heaven and new earth” are established in God’s coming Kingdom (Rev 21:1). We live in a transient world and this world will ultimately give way to God’s eternal Kingdom.
So in a real sense, sin is running its course here on earth and the recent Tsunami catastrophe points to this awful reality of the effects of sin in our world.
The Sovereignty of God
Let us remember that God is in complete control of the entire universe:
“…He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of Kings and Lord of lords; who alone possesses immortality…”
(1 Tim 6:15-16)
God could have stopped the Tsunami devastation but he has allowed it for a purpose.
It is sometimes the sovereign and holy pleasure of God to visit the world with His wrath so as to prevent the hardening of our hearts which may then give rise to greater sin on our part and even greater judgements from God.
“The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice”
(Ps. 97:1)
“Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God…Today if you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…”
(Ps. 95:6-8)
The Wisdom and Goodness of God
God is too wise to make a mistake and He is too righteous to do anything that is even remotely unfair. The Psalmist declares:
“As for God His way is blameless (or perfect)”
(Ps. 18:30)
“The judgements of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether”
(Ps. 19:9)
There was a larger purpose behind the suffering of Job in the Old Testament.
There was a larger purpose behind the suffering and death of Lazarus in the time of Christ…
“…this sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God…”
(John 11:4)
There was a larger, eternal, and glorious purpose for the torture, suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ some two thousands years ago.
And so, there is a larger purpose for the recent devastation in the Indian Ocean. Let God be God in this situation and let us worship Him for His wisdom and goodness.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
(Rom 8:28)
The Merciful Judgement of God
The Bible teaches that God’s love and God’s wrath are two sides of the same coin. “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and yet “…the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…” (Rom 1:18).
Someone likened God’s wrath to a dam that is building up with water. Every sin against the Holy God adds more water in the dam. One day the dam will burst violently and unleash its waters. That is exactly what happened two thousand years ago. God’s wrath against the sin of the world was unleashed on Jesus Christ when he, the sinless one died for the sins of the world.
Today if you confess your sins and graciously accept Christ’s work on the cross and enthrone Him as your Lord and Saviour you will be saved from the coming judgement – eternal separation from God in hell.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”
(John 3:16)
We Have Been Spared!
While in our humanness we may ask God: “Why did countless people die such a horrific death?” But the real question should be: “God, why did you spare me?” We could have easily been one of the statistics on a list of those dead or missing.
In His mercy and grace, He has spared us for one or more of these reasons:
So that we can come to Him in humility, seek His forgiveness and give our lives over to His Lordship
So we can return to Him and confess our sins as we may have wandered away from Him. Our love may have grown cold towards the Lord.
So we can press on in our Christian walk – to please Him and serve Him more faithfully than ever before. He still has unfinished tasks for us to complete.
We who are spared need to reach out in compassionate love to those who have suffered untold loss. (There is an opportunity to do this through AEFI).
“Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD; And He will have compassion on him”
(Isa 55:6-7)
“He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God”
(Ps. 50:22-23)
RETURN
TO HIM – REPENT – FOLLOW HIM FAITHFULLY
AEF Workers Have Been Spared
January 5th 2005:
Praise God that reports have now reached us that the AEF workers and their families are all safe in Myanmar, Indonesia, and India.
We have links with a Training Centre in North Sumatra, near the epicentre of the earthquake but thankfully all is well with the Christians there.
An Opportunity to Help Communities in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar
Reports have been received from several reliable sources that unfortunately much of the foreign aid dispensed to these countries through NGOs (especially in Indonesia) is not distributed equitably. The Chinese in Indonesia (who are mostly Christians) have been either denied aid or have had to purchase food and materials freely given by donors. Some of the world aid organisations do not have trained local staff on the ground to oversee distribution.
AEF International, after consultation with national leaders in South and East Asia has undertaken to work with the following reputable agencies:
The Evangelical Fellowship of Sri Lanka
The Evangelical Fellowship of India
The Evangelical Fellowship of Myanmar
Union of Baptist Churches in Indonesia (KGBI)
All these agencies have trained local staff to oversee distribution and AEFI has very strong links with them for many years.
Your generous gifts can be mailed to us and earmarked for “Tsunami Relief Fund”.
Asia Evangelistic Fellowship International
P.O. Box 16
Glengarry WA 6023
AUSTRALIA
Alternatively, you can arrange for a direct debit into AEFI’s Bank using the following details:
Name of Account: Asia Evangelistic Fellowship International
Bank: Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Branch: Warwick (Western Australia)
BSB and Account Number: 06 6192 1011 2640
MANY THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROSITY, PRAYERS, AND ENCOURAGEMENT!
Website: www.aefi.org.au Email: