The Sunday Sermon
Rev. Mark A. Henson
Friday, May 18, 2007
Why does God allow tragedy? I believe the folks in Greensburg have been asking this question.
I have often asked the same question. I lived in Jackson, Miss., in August of 2005 and have personally experienced the results of tragedy as a result of Hurricane Katrina. I graduated high school in Biloxi, Miss., and the home I lived in is no longer there. Katrina was a nasty storm. So yes, I have asked God the same question.
When my wife was diagnosed with cancer in February of 2006 I asked God why?
I’m sure there are countless numbers of folks are asking questions about God in all of this. If you are one of them I want to give you an invitation here: I want to invite you to struggle with these questions. Don’t pass them off. Don’t just apply “pat” answers to them. Think through them, asking God for clarity in helping you deal with them.
He’s not afraid of your questions, believe me. These type of heart-cry questions are all through Scripture, and even Jesus asked the Father why He had forsaken Him.
Why did God allow this tragedy in Greensburg? There are three main opinions I have found over time to discuss this question.
First, God caused it, for either a testing or a punishment. Some use Deuteronomy 31:29 as a proof-text for this argument: “In days to come, disaster will fall upon you because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD and provoke him to anger by what your hands have made.”
Second, Satan caused it, to bring harm and destruction to those he hates — everyone. Some use the example of Job in the Old Testament as a proof-text for this argument.
Third, God allowed it for reasons we may never know. It’s right about here someone always quotes Romans 8:28 and I’m not sure that’s appropriate right now because what about the folks that are not believers (I’ll pay for this one)? Where does that leave them?
So which is it? I don’t know. It might be all three, or combinations of one or two, or it may have happened for reasons that fall outside of all these reasons. We simply don’t know. The apostle Paul when speaking of answers to life’s questions simply said, “Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” I Corinthians 13:12. In other words, “we don’t have all the answers but one day we will. Someday we will see Christ in person and be able to see with God perspective.”
One thing I can say with absolute assurance: God is still in absolute control, and He can and does work in the midst of even such huge tragedies as this one.
So now the next question pops up. What can we do about the tragedy? You can do three things.
F Give toward the relief efforts. This Sunday our local church is taking up an offering for the community of Greensburg and Nazarene Disaster Relief will make sure the offering goes to the right agencies involved. I am sure your church has already done so or will do so. If you don’t attend church give to the American Red Cross or Salvation Army earmarked for Greensburg Disaster Relief.
F Pray for the relief effort. Pray that the needed manpower, funds, and other resources would get to the needy quickly, and that fraud and corruption would not rear its ugly head to delay the needed help.
F Pray for the Christian message of hope. In the midst of this, the message of Christ can shine, bringing hope to those without it, and offering comfort as people find out the God of the universe was not asleep at the wheel, was not busy, or whatever during this tragedy, He was right there, and He still is there, wanting to reach out and comfort the people affected. Pray for God’s comfort for those who have lost loved ones. No amount of words from us will be able to fill this need. This is a God-sized need, and only God can fill it adequately.
Do these three things and you will demonstrate what the Apostle Paul speaks of in I Corinthians 13:13 “the love of God.”
• “Sunday Sermon” is a forum for Emporia area ministers to share their sermons, thoughts and observations. This week’s sermon is from the Rev. Mark A. Henson, pastor of Emporia’s First Church of the Nazarene.