Michael Kennedy
AMERICUS — It has been a month since the earthquake in Haiti. Things are still terrible. Food is in short supply. Water is a precious commodity. The future looks somewhat bleak at best. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been given to date and people still go hungry at night, babies still sleep under tarps, and surgery is still done with no anesthetic.
People have questions. They want to know why something like this happens. They want to know how a supposed good God could sit back while tragedy strikes. In fact many question whether God is even there at all.
It’s pretty funny how Christians respond. We either agree with them and echo their claims or we say that God is in control and will cause some good to come about through the tragedy. Those are the patent responses we give. That is the “hope” we offer most of the time.
I have been there. I have looked at someone that has tragically lost a loved one and wondered why God would allow this to happened. I have told people that God has a greater good that will come about from their tragedy. The truth is that these are hollow answers. They may sound good but they miss the heart of the gospel.
Here is the truth. Tragedy happens because we live in a sin-tainted world.
Paul wrote, in Romans 8: 19-23, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
Sin has corrupted every aspect of our world. Every tragedy can be traced back to sin. So the question that still needs to be answered is: Where is God in times of tragedy? The answer is beautiful. The answer brings hope.
He is there waiting to restore mankind and all of creation to perfection. That is the promise we have in Christ. That is the hope he offers. God, from eternity past, knew the mess we would be in and sent his Son to redeem mankind. This redemption is through his perfect sacrifice on the cross. His blood covers our sin when we receive his free gift of salvation by faith. His promise is that he will restore all creation and all of his children to perfection.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21: 4).”
That is hope and that is where God is in times of tragedy!
Michael Kennedy is the assistant pastor of Students at Central Baptist Church, Americus.
