I was watching NBC News last night. Their coverage of the tornadoes included a discussion of "People in the South attributing everything to God". They then showed footage of people thanking God for their miraculous survival stories. There was no discussion of blaming God for the destruction, but I have no doubt that there are people who see God's judgement in these storms. And in the earthquakes and tsunamis of late.
I do not. I see a combination of global warming and the usual movements of our earth - that we hear more about because of increasd communication abilities.
Isaiah 24 puts forth the destruction as God's judgement. God is certainl capable of such powerful anger. And our Biblical history tells us that God has acted so in the past.
So why don't we really believe (or why don't I really believe) that God acts that way now? I think it goes to my general interpretation of the Bible. I see this chapter of Isaiah in much the same way that I see the first chapter of Genesis. It is an acurate description of God's relationship with God's people, and the power of God. But it is written down by a people who did not yet understand. It is an attempt to describe their reality - as much as our science is an attempt to describe our reality - and neither is fully accurate.
We still have much to learn about global geology. And about global weather patterns and air masses. And about the consequences of our own actions --- just as the people in Jerusalem did.
In the meantime, pray for the hurting. The storms hit close to our family -- everyone is all right. Some still without power. All surrounded by great need.
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Kelly, you are dead on. What came through to me was God's power and our resistence to be moved, "God's about to rip everything out by the roots..."
ReplyDeletePaul (our neighbor who just joined the church), Heidi, and I ripped up five small bushes in front of our house, moved them out a few feet, and re-planted them, so that they could actually grow. It wasn't like taking off a band-aid. Each bush took several minutes to pry loose and tender loving care to put back. We now need to water them every day for a week.
God can move us violently if he wills. His Spirit nudges us toward faith and life. Will we put down roots, not to be moved...even if it's for our own good. Or will we know that God is tending us, like a loving gardener?
Well said Kelly and Matthew! We have so much to learn on our journey with God but how blessed we are to serve a Lord who looks after us like a loving gardener. I am continuing to keep everyone down South in my prayers, the areas hit by tornadoes last week are expecting record rain (the worst in 100 years) this week.
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