Well here we are looking at a natural disaster that is beating our Gulf coast again. It has stirred a flurry of energy in a variety of ways which I think are all positive. The government (state local and federal) at least at this point (the first 24 hours of landfall for Gustav) appears to be organized in its reactions to the hurricane from the early evacuations to enduring the storm to responding to the damage left in its wake. We seem to have learned much as a nation from Katrina.
The news media embedded their reporters for more exclusive coverage knowing that the nation is keeping a more watchful eye because of the vulnerability of the geography and the people within it, and to see how well we have learned our lessons. Disaster recovery groups were in place or are starting to take their places at strategic locations before the storm hit or while it was approaching landfall. Politicians on both side of the fence have realized that the needs of the people in these areas is going to be more important than impressive speeches and strategic. They seem to have attempted to adjust their agendas realizing that at times like this we need to keep the main thing the main thing: taking care of people.
Haven’t heard them yet but, somewhere in the Christian community, someone will rise up this time as they did last time to make some real authoritative theological statements about how they perceive these events are to be interpreted. There will be someone who says, “Make no mistake! Look at the rising incidence of natural disasters worldwide: earthquakes hurricanes, tsunami’s, droughts and famines, global warming. They are all signs that the end that Jesus predicted is now closing in on us.” Or, another will say, “God is judging this region of the country for its sinfulness."
Can we talk for a moment?
Suffice it to say that preachers have been preaching that “the end is near“ as though it is right around the corner for a loooong time. A lot of them have come and gone over the years never living to see the day they thought was pregnant to break through in their own life time. Each generation has had its own voices to preach the clichéd message “repent for the end is near.”
Well, we don’t need natural disasters and terrorist attacks as occasions to capitalize on preaching that the end is near. For each one of us the end is always near from two perspectives: either Jesus might very well come at any moment, or we might loose our life in the flesh at any moment. Neither one of those events have guaranteed predictable dates on the calendar. Many people have lived shorter lives than they have expected and Jesus will come without warning. The end always is near, and always has been.
So responding first to the “repent for the end is near” I say this: in Matthew 24:36 Jesus says "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. So anybody who looks at these events and says “repent for the end is near” with the attitude that they know authoritatively that the day is arriving, in my humble opinion, boarders on committing spiritual abuse. They are capitalizing on fear, emotions, and destitute times to intimidate the listener. Noone knows the day or the time! Jesus said so. If it’s the word of God, it’s the truth and it can’t be anything but. (Truth cannot be the truth and not be the truth at the same time.)
My second response is to those who feel they have the authority to make a prophetic statement of judgment amidst the disasters. Hebrews 1:1-2 pretty much tells us that there is no need for prophets anymore because of what has been revealed to us through the very words spoken by Christ!
1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
This one piece of Scripture expands the viewpoint to make us realize we have been living in end times since the advent of Jesus and His word is sufficient for us to interpret the times we are living in. We don’t need someone to say “this happened because God is punishing us.”
My take is that God has the power to command the forces of nature to do as He pleases but we as humans should not be thinking we can speak for Him. Further, I believe that if God wants to punish a nation or a region, He has historically been very thorough and doesn’t leave much behind to salvage or rebuild. (Read about the Great Flood or the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis.)
So, once again I believe that anybody who looks at these kinds of events and says, “God is punishing us/you/them” with the attitude that they know authoritatively that they can speak for God, in my humble opinion, a. they are setting themselves up for judgment as a self proclaimed prophet and b. also once again boarder on committing spiritual abuse. Just like in the first instance they are capitalizing on fear, emotions, and destitute times to intimidate the listener.
But having said all that, I see these events as excellent opportunities to capitalizing on “fear, emotions, and destitute times.” These are the times that people are already ready ripe with an awareness of God. Because of the great personal loss they experience, some victims are angry with Him, others are desperately searching for Him for “shelter”, still others give up hope that He even exists. Great time for “the church” to show up!
We don’t need to beat these people up with more fear and intimidation. they've had enough of that enduring the trauma of the storm they just escaped. These are the times we can be the body of Christ full of compassion and mercy. These are the times we can share the love of Christ with people by coming along side them. These are the times we can follow what Jesus said and serve one another in humility and love. These are the times we can carry out acts of kindness in the name of Jesus.
(There is buried within the heart of most human beings the natural inclination to pitch in and help out. Why? Because God engineered us that way! We almost instinctively know that to come to the aid of disaster victims is “the right thing to do.” But, something, somebody has to define it as being the right thing! It shouts of evidence that God must be there to show is what love is, to show us what mercy is, to show us what ”right is. There has to be a preexisting independent higher power to reveal to us what right and wrong is otherwise it would constantly forever be in the state of being redefined.)
It is time again for the segment of “the church” who are given the recourses, the passion, the gifts, and the time to go and serve in the name of Jesus and let our actions be the message that draws people to a loving God. There will be time to preach the message of judgment and end times another day.
For now let’s keep the main thing the main thing. For now, there is such opportunity to be the church! There are still things that need to be done recovering from Katrina, recovering from the floods in the Midwest earlier this summer, recovering from Gustavo, recovering from new disasters still to come.
Jesus gives us all a chilling commission to take care of those in need.
Mathew 25:34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
How will you respond to the need? How will your local congregation respond? How will your denomination if you are part of one, respond?
Stay close to Jesus
REG
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