February 3, 2005

What is actually behind the question that is asked when we question where God was during tragedies such as the tsunami that destroyed so much of southern Asia, or the terrorist attack on America on September 11 or the murderous rampage at Columbine High School? What are we asking?

Are we asking whether or not God caused these tragedies to happen? Or are we asking if God stood idly by while they occurred? Are we ready to believe that God is some kind of cruel ruler who is blind and numb to the pain of his subjects? Is our basic belief in God called into question? If there is a God, why would he allow people to go through that kind of devastation and loss? And why would we want to trust a God like that?

Did God cause these tragedies to happen?

Since the fall of man – God has given us free will to do as we please – and sin has filled the earth. If God were to take control every time a natural disaster occurs and stop it, or steps in to stop other people from fulfilling their free will – we are no longer humans, but puppets being yanked around by a Divine Master.

I believe that we tend to view these issues with minds as small as ours and will never understand the truth because we will never be able to see things as God does. He doesn’t operate in linear time as we do. His end is His beginning. The seconds ticking by on our clocks mean nothing to him except that they mean something to us.

But God sees the whole picture, the entirety of eternity – all at the same time.

God can see Moses standing at the Red Sea as clearly as He sees our last birthday. It is all ‘right now’ for Him. This is unfathomable to us. Our memories fade away as time passes and the immediate becomes more important than the history. But, with God, there is no such thing as history – it is all present time to Him.

When the Twin Towers fell in NYC, several spiritual leaders came out saying that the United States was being punished for falling away from God. That was an awful thing to say. That implied that God took an active role in either causing the terror or specifically allowing the terror to happen for a reason.

When the tsunami hit southern Asia, people were again commenting on the fact that since this was such a Muslim area, God was punishing them. Again, the implication was that God took an active role in a major catastrophe either by causing it or allowing it to happen for a reason.

And the same thing occurs when accidents and things happen on a much smaller scale, such as Columbine or a car accident that takes young people, or a child that is born with a hideous disease that will take that child from his or her family within months.

Do we really believe that God is punishing the parents of a small child for some unknown reason, or maybe even for some very apparent reason in their lives? Do we believe that God caused the car accident to happen to high school kids so that He could teach their friends a lesson, or did they do something hideous that enraged Him and so He punished them?

All of these questions seem insane, yet in the back of our minds and heart, they wriggle in and cause us to question the compassion of God.

Luke 13:1-5 tells the story of Jesus speaking with people who had questions like this.

“Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus specifically is telling people that these things simply happen as a part of life and it isn’t because anyone had done anything wrong. The only thing the tragedy should point to is the urgency of your own salvation.

We need to look beyond the tragedy. We need to try to see what is happening in God’s big picture. The picture that spans more than our lifetime, more than the short period of time that suffering and pain encompass. If we look back through history, we see God’s protective hand guiding His people through some horrendous catastrophes and tragedies.

He will not become a puppet master, but He does promise to stand beside us and He does promise us an eternity in His presence.