God and Mother Nature

The earthquake in Japan has really troubled my soul, especially since the world was able to watch the destruction of entire cities and farms on live TV. Thankfully, from this tragedy, we haven’t seen the personal tragedy of losing one’s life through Mother Nature’s violent groaning. I am wondering if our live TV is similar to what God sees the world when He looks down on us.

I have not searched the internet looking for the blog writers’ point of view regarding God’s hand being involved in this tragic act of natural violence. I remember reading in the past that anytime there is some horrific tragedy we should look to God being the cause of the destruction, as if He was punishing us through these tragedies. Is this the God I follow?

I think of an ant farm that a kid might have and think if maybe one of the ants bit the boy, would he react brutally towards the ants? In the boy’s godlike presence all he would need to do is place the ant farm in the sun to watch the ants die off due to the extreme heat. All he would need to do is place a large cup of water into the ant farm and drown his victims. All he would need to do is shake the heck out of the ant farm and bury the ants. Drought, flooding and earthquakes are all natural, and sometimes tragic facts of life, I don’t think this is the way my God punishes.

Through any act of tragedy, like the earthquake in Japan, it all comes down to, “What is our response?” Let’s avoid pointing fingers and blaming one group or another. Let’s be like Jesus and be first responders in prayer, love and action for the victims.