A  Flood of Tears

Some are calling it the greatest natural catastrophe to ever hit America.  It very well may be.  Of course I’m writing about the “great” flood, labeled Harvey.  He won’t be forgotten for many years.  As I watch TV and worry about my kids living in the suburbs of Houston, I can’t help but complain to God.  Why does He allow these terrible tragedies?  I don’t want to read about the evils of our society, or Houston deserves this, or they are more sinful than the rest of the country.  I don’t want to read blogs that tell me…..”if God is good and loves us why does He allow these tragedies? “

 In the fourteenth century, during which the plague killed one third of Europeans, they asked the same questions that many are asking today.  We have sinned so let’s find out what to do.  Many whipped themselves, used special herbs or secluded themselves away from others. However, neither they nor we will ever solve the problems that affect all of mankind.

Don’t blame God.  At Creation, the world was perfect but we all know what happened then. So why do we have to bear the punishment of Adam and Eve? Makes no sense! The good and evil suffer together. God created the elements of nature which obey certain natural laws.  He allows these laws to exist.  Without them, we could not live on this earth.  Sometimes these laws are negative. Fires, famine, earthquakes, floods.  But because we know that God’s love is always there, we can say with Paul, “All things work together for good for those who love Him,”  (Romans 8:28).  Easy to say, because my home isn’t flooded nor have I lost a loved one.

This is one thing we know and it brings us to making a decision in life.  Again we ask this question……”Why does God allow evil and suffering to continue?” and even looking at the cross of Jesus we still don’t know the answer.  But we do know that He was willing to take our sufferings upon himself at the Cross, and it is in this that we have deep consolation and strength to face the brutal realities of life.

As the prophet Habakkuk said…(3:17,18)

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet, I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Immanuel…..God with us………..even in our worst sufferings.