Pastor's Ponderings

We have been surrounded with disasters this fall. There was Hurricane Harvey at the same time there was massive flooding in South Asia. This was followed by an earthquake that rattled much of Mexico. Then Irma struck the Caribbean and moved into Florida, while Katia struck Mexico. Fortunately Juan seemed to stay away from most population centers. During all these events numerous wildfires were burning up the west coast of America and into Montana. Now it is damage from Maria in the Caribbean, hitting most of the Islands which escaped Irma, and another major earthquake in Mexico. This is quite a toll of death and disaster. 

In times of disaster it has always been common to find someone to blame. Someone must have sinned for this disaster to come about; some today may think God is punishing Mexico and the US or the Caribbean, or California. In Luke 13:1-5 Jesus discourages this kind of thinking. He mentions two disasters, a Roman attack on innocent worshipers and the collapse of a tower in Jerusalem which killed a number of people. In both cases he asks if the people who suffered were worse sinners than anyone else, then answers, “No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish”. Disaster is not a time to look for blame, but to examine our own lives for sin that may be keeping us from serving God faithfully.