The earthquake in Haiti

Today there was this post. It caught my attention because of an article in the paper as well as a comment Britton Wesson made at church the other day "If not for the Grace of god, there go I". my group discussed how that can misunderstood and we as believers should really not feel that way. Here is the blog and my response to Linda.

MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2010

Whose Fault is the Fault?

I love how God works to bring verses to our attention at just the right time!

Yesterday in our Sunday School Bible Fellowship class, we prayed for Haiti, as I'm sure your church did. The question was raised about how to respond in conversations with non-believers (or believers too, for that matter) when questions come up about God's role in such disasters, especially in light of some public comments made last week which attribute the earthquake to God's judgment on a pagan nation. Of course, this has caused a maelstrom of reaction from both ends of the spectrum.

Later yesterday evening, I was reading an unrelated book, and stumbled across these verses:

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."
Luke 13:1-5

I almost fell out of the chair! I don't remember reading those verses before, although I'm sure I have. What a great reminder that, instead of trying to read God's mind, we need to be focus on the importance of turning to Him in repentance and trust, regardless of where we live.

I remember the same reaction to Hurricane Katrina. We are all very aware that believers as well as nonbelievers perished then. We often spout "If not for the grace of God, that would be me." Does that mean we have more grace on us than another believer? In the Arkansas paper today, it quotes 3 people in Haiti. Rev. Eric Toussaint at Mass preached of thanksgiving . "Why give thanks to God? Because we are here. What happened is the will of God." Mondesir Raymone, a 26 year old single mother of two was grateful. "We have survived by the grace of God," she said. Others were angry. "It's a catastrophe, and it is God who has put this upon us," said Jean-Andre Noel, 39, a computer technician. I believe it is hard on anyone to understand God's mind. His ways are not our ways. You are so right to encourage us to focus on turning to him in repentance and trust, no matter what what circumstance, tragedy, disappointment or happiness we find ourselves in!