The series of disasters we are seeing - disasters of incredible force - cannot be naturally explained away. God is speaking. God is calling wayward people everywhere to himself.
According to Recent Natural Disasters a web site that reports on ecological cataclysms around the world every day approximately 75 natural disasters have occurred in America just in the last 5 months. 1 Those disasters happening in various degrees of destruction include earthquakes floods landslides hail storms sinkholes wildfires avalanches and deadly tornadoes. This nation in recent years has seen a rush of such disasters as wind fire rain and drought conditions. And these catastrophes are not in America alone but happening around the globe.
Various reasons are offered to explain the phenomena. Some argue its global warming. Others say its always been this way and the natural cycle of things its only that the reporting is much better today and we hear about these events more often.
Still anyone with a little age and experience or any one simply willing to carefully consider matters finds it a bit hard to believe that whats been occurring of late is merely the natural cycle of things. The succession and intensity of these incidents have rightly caused people to sense something isnt right in the earth and the scientific data alone cant effectively elucidate the cause.
Interestingly the Old Testament book of Haggai describes a time much like our own when the people of Israel were wondering why so many natural calamities had befallen them. Like many in our own day they had considered every possible cause but God. Of course they were too sophisticated even to pious to blame him. Yet God said to them:
You counted on much; and see it came to little; and when you brought it home I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that is in ruins while you each busy yourself with your own house. Therefore for your sake the heavens have withheld the dew and the earth withheld its produce. I called for a drought upon the land upon the mountains upon the grain upon the new wine upon the oil upon what the ground produces and upon men upon cattle and upon all the labor of their hands" (Haggai 1:9-11 The New Berkley Version).
In other words God himself didnt hesitate to take the responsibility saying Im the reason you have experienced this terrible chain of horrific episodes the storms the drought the scorching heat the crop failures the winds that blew everything away. I did it! And I did it because I wanted to get your attention about the way you have forgotten me and my business and focused exclusively on your own."
Certainly such explanations for the string of latest natural disasters despite the fact that many of them have been apocalyptic in type would soundly be rejected by most today people who would never agree that God was somehow responsible. God is too loving too kind too compassionate too gentle to ever do such a thing they say.
This response brings to mind an old story about a farmer who was out in his field working a stubborn mule. The mule sat down in the mud and refused to budge. The farmer pushed and pulled threatened and coaxed but couldnt move the mule an inch. A neighbor who was watching nearby came over to offer some advice. Ive been watching you now for a while" said the neighbor. And I think you may be going about this the wrong way." In frustration the farmer quipped Well then how in heavens name would you get this rascal mule out of the mud?" Well" said the neighbor you need to use kindness you need to be loving you need to show compassion you need to be gentle with the dumb beast. Let me show you how its done." At that point the farmer moved aside and the neighbor took a baseball bat and hit the mule square in the head. What are you doing?" shouted the farmer. You said to be kind to be loving to be gentle to show compassion. I fully intend to be" said the neighbor. But Ive first got to get his attention."
One neednt think the natural disasters like the tornadoes that occurred recently in Oklahoma or any other place where such tragic instances happen ensue because the people in those locations are necessarily more wicked than others. Jesus warned against that kind of assessment in Luke 13:1-5 saying Unless you repent you will all similarly perish." But this unusual barrage of climatic catastrophes extended over several years ought to be seen as a wake-up call Gods attempt at getting our attention the handwriting on the wall that God is ready to judge. God gets no pleasure in afflicting men. His actions are not retaliatory. His desire is to bless with kindness to shelter defend and prosper. But if we insist on ignoring his Sovereignty spurning his law and exalting our own way paramount to his will then we separate ourselves from the very source of all blessing. God loves us too much to leave us that way without using whatever means necessary to move our gaze from downward to upward.
In 1787 George Mason one of the largest plantation owners in Virginia stated his views on national accountability before the Constitutional Convention:
As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and effects Providence punishes national sins by national calamities."
Perhaps the good news about Gods disciplining hand on America or any other nation for that matter is best described in another quote from Dr. Charles Stanley. Stanley writes:
The intensity of the storm… can be determined by God based on our rebellion and indifference. But also the depth of brokenness required can be equaled to the degree of usefulness God sees in His purpose for us." 2
The series of disasters we are seeing - disasters of incredible force - cannot be naturally explained away. God is speaking. God is calling wayward people everywhere to himself. Perhaps if we hear that call nationally if we heed his efforts to get our attention greater hardship can be averted and our best days are yet to come.
Resources:
1 Natural Disasters in the United States 2013 Recent Natural Disasters Reporting Recent Natural Disaster News 24 Hours a Day http://www.disaster-report.com/2013/03/natural-disasters-in-united-states-2013.html
2 Stanley Charles F. Gods Purpose in the Storm." In Touch Ministries 27 February 2006 http://www.intouch.org/you/sermon outlines/content?topic=god_s_purpose_in_the_storm_sermon_outline