People of Faith and Natural Disasters

Long, long time ago: well, 25 years to be exact, I was taking a course in biblical Greek because the seminary I would enter in January demanded that students come in with expertise in the language. Although they allowed students to take a course upon matriculation for no credit, I as always worked to meet the need and enrolled in a Miami seminary, a very small outfit, to get the needed knowledge. When I arrived in Wilmore, Kentucky, I took and passed an exam to prove I could read and understand the language.

(Yawns, okay, why is this relevant?)

Because 25 years and a few weeks ago, Hurricane Andrew devasted South Florida with 165 mph winds.

That delayed the start of the course. But when it began, we had an info session with everyone in the room: students, profs, deans.

I remember to this day how one dean talked about Hurricane Andrew and how it was forecast to strike West Palm Beach directly, which would cause unimaginable death and destruction to millions of people, but he was convinced that God put his hooks into the storm and pulled it south where it would not impact as many persons.

Hooray for you, God! Thanks for sparing me, but damn, do I feel bad for the people who got it.

Later, in my class, as people shared their Andrew experience, I realized that many people in that room had to listen to that spiel knowing that their homes were destroyed, knowing the hard work they were engaged in to rebuild their lives, and knowing that they were committed to not letting a Category 5 hurricane disrupt their education. They didn't share their feelings, but we can imagine how they felt hearing that God spared me, but it sucks to be you.

I recall that memory as Irma approaches Florida. Please, Christians, however it turns out, can we not embarrass ourselves? Let's not thank God loudly if we are spared the worst of the storm when others are not. We are not better, we have not lived better lives, if you need some help, I direct you to read Ecclesiastes.

Or perhaps these words from the Gospel will help: [God] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.

It happens to us all. Long after the hurricane has passed (now is not the time), we can have a discussion about sin and how the entire world fell with humanity and so everything, including climate and weather, is imperfect and potentially harmful.

I haven't prayed much about this storm. Does that surprise you?

But I'm not smart enough to know what is best. I leave that up to God. I simply trust in His goodness, and that He will make all things better according to his purposes.

In this life or the next one. That is another theological discussion we can leave till later.

For now, let's do what we can to survive and then to help others to recover. Regardless of faith or creed, let's protect human life.

It's what Jesus wants us to do.