WHY HAITI?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility - not willingly but because of God who subjected it - in hope that the creation itself will also be set from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.
Romans 8:18-26 NET
Why Haiti? Why this little girl?
Some would say it relates to some people of Haiti from a long time ago who were ungodly in a most unusual way. TV’s Pat Robertson made such a statement. I do not want to go into detail. It is too embarrassing. It is too . . . I’ll stop.
We need to recall something, at least one thing, from both the Old and New Testament.
When Abraham implored God’s heavenly messengers not to destroy Sodom and Gommorah for the sake of only a few righteous people until they got out, God agreed. Jesus spoke of people killed when a wall fell on them as not more guilty than others. The apostles, in particular Paul, faced various dangers and illness on his mission. All twelve of the apostles were martyred, but for John’s exile on Patmos as his punishment. You could study the Scriptures and find similar stories repeated.
There have been many serious earthquakes in history, including in the US. We know good and bad were in them, although any standing in a righteous position before God do so solely by God’s grace in Christ. I was told by someone qualified to speak that there is a major fault running right near the middle of our country. It is the type of fault that could give no warning. It would be a terrible quake, perhaps unimaginable. We live only by God’s grace and mercy.
There are things that occur in this fallen and suffering world we may never understand. People die everyday through accident or disease, unexpectedly; many people. We will all die unexpectedly, at least the message of our demise will be unexpected. To each of us it will be like a quaking. Our lives and those of our loved ones will be shaken. Such is the nature of death, from any source.
Jesus and other authors in the Bible remind us repeatedly that our lives are not to be lived for our time on earth. Our lives are to be lived for God through Christ and for the things of eternity that never end. Knowing Christ crucified and risen as personal Savior means there is certainty beyond the grave in this dying world. God’s promises are as good as fulfilled already. Such is the power and freedom of His Word. What’s more is that Christ could return for His own any day to remove us from the time of wrath and judgment prophesied in the Bible that will be devastating on a global scale. Anything we read about happening today is like birth pains in comparison.
So, a living hope. That is what we need. That is what the Lord Jesus Christ brings any who are open to receiving it by receiving Him into their hearts as Savior from their own sins.