Lessons from Disasters

As the body count in Sichuan reads 80,000 dead. It is not just a figure.
3 years ago, more than 250,000 perished in the Indian Asian Tsunami.

It shouldn't surprise us that there are disasters and suffering. Jesus said, in this world, there would be tribulation. (Matt 24:21; John 16:33)

But the horror of death is not isolated when mass number of people died. In fact, thousands are dying everyday with or without disasters. We are living in a world where wages of sin is death. The bible tells us in Eze 18:4, that the soul that sinneth, it shall surely die.

Death is an appointment we all must meet. (Heb 9:27) We shouldn't be strangers to death since it visits everyone.

Jesus makes this point very clear in Luke 13:1-5.

"There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Dun be mistaken that Jesus isn't full compassion. In contrary, He is full of compassion. When Lazarus died, Jesus wept. When He saw Jerusalem not realising Him as the Shepherd, He wept with compassion. When He saw the lame, the blind, the sick, the broken hearted, He healed all of them.

We read in Luke 17:11-19, that there were 10 lepers that seek healing and all got their healing but the one that returned to the Lord to thank Him got saved. A thankful, truly regenerated man is more thankful to the giver than the gift.

And so in Luke 13, we know that the Lord is warning out of compassion the peril of the souls who enquire of the atrocities of the terrible death of the Galileans and the people under the tower. Yet it has no awakening to the reality of the souls of the enquirers. They came to Christ demanding Christ to give an account of the great atrocities that the Galileans have suffered. Christ rebuked their careless spirit and told them they should be amazed they are alive! We all live not knowing to be alive is a gift of grace itself.

Howe careless that we are when we have the gift of life, take life for granted. 80,000 may have perished. But unless that sobers us to the reality that life is nothing but a vapour and that we all, we all must realise how vulnerable we are to dying, Christ warning through Luke 13 has taken no effect.

We delight in the gift of salvation but had neglected to thank Christ the giver. The giver reason for coming to earth is to glorify the Father by redeeming that the Father has called. To thank the Giver is to live the Christ life as Paul puts it, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. That I count all things as loss that I may gain Christ." To gain Christ is to live the life of Christ. Chirst came to seek those that are lost. Paul made that his life call as well.

My friends, life is lost if we dun do exactly the call of Christ, to seek the lost. May your heart as you see the depth of suffering all around, awaken us to the reality of living and dying is all of Christ. Dun be called a fool, like in Luke 12, the man who only built security through wealth, but when God "rudely" interrupts his plans, he is called nothing but a fool. Don't be a fool. Be wise. Live for Christ. The crown of hearing Christ words,"Well done, thou and faithful servant." Isn't that the best gift in the whole world because if comes from the mouth of the Giver, Christ Himself.

I pray that you will live for the gospel.

Treasure Christ. Show that you love the Giver.

And all will be well with your soul and your Saviour.

Amen.