Many people are asking how can God let such things happen in Haiti. A National Post editor made a statement that "God may have abandoned Haiti". People commenting that prayer will not help the people in Haiti (Comment #32).
My wife and I had a discussion on our views on the tragedy in Haiti, and our conclusion is that God has not abandoned Haiti , "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in [their lives]." Haiti has been on the news throughout last decade, especially during the 2004 Haitian rebellion. But while poverty and injustice continued on this island nation most of the world sat on our hands or wasn't aware of it.
Now this tragedy happened and Haiti has thrust into headline news in all major newspaper and news broadcast. Was God punishing Haiti for their past transgressions as Pat Robertson has suggested on national TV? I don't think so. Just as Jesus said in John chapter 9:1-3
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."
What happened in Haiti is a reminder of us, children of God, to stand up against injustice and to show the world the love of God so that the work of God might be displayed. Or as another National Post editor as put it, "The earthquake was not His wrath being unleashed on Haiti's people; it was a slap to the face of every single so-called 'caring, liberal' nation on this planet -- a slap strong enough to knock the blinders from our eyes."
Brothers and sisters, God has placed the nation of Haiti in the centre of our lives this week. Let us pray and take action so that the work of God might be displayed.
Pray for and support a fellow sister from DR, she had rented a van and loaded it with food at her own cost and now in Haiti. (http://shannonconaghan.blogspot.com/2010/01/going-solo.html)
Here is another response by Donald Miller:
http://donmilleris.com/2010/01/13/1513/
2 comments:
Thank you, Joel. I'll be using some of your thoughts this Sunday as I share with our students how to pray for a nation that is undergoing stress such as Haiti.
Pat Robertson does make a good point though. If God has not forsaken Haiti, why is half the island prosperous and the other hell on earth??
Natural disasters have followed sinners since the beginning of time like in the Tower of Babel or Noah's Arch. And how do you know God is not punishing Haiti for other sins like in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah.
I agree, we need to pray for our brothers and sisters that they may turn to God. But God doesn't just "LET THINGS HAPPEN" randomly to his children. He has a purpose for you, for me, and for every single person in Haiti. Who are we to judge God's plans??
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