Weekly Update// Pastor Chris (Copy)
Dear Church Family,
It’s Wednesday, July 7 as I write this note. Right now we’re receiving some wind and rain from Hurricane Elsa. There’s no question that hurricane season is upon us. Indeed, it’s possible that we may experience more storms as the months go by (though we hope that doesn’t happen!).
Hurricanes, like every other natural disaster, can often raise questions of faith. Many of us wonder, where is God when hurricanes come? Does God send hurricanes, or are hurricanes simply forces of nature that God allows to happen? Given these questions, I want to share an email that I wrote to the congregation I was serving in Davenport, FL when Hurricane Irma happened in 2017. I hope you find it helpful.
It’s a great privilege to serve as one of your pastors. See you in worship this Sunday!
Blessings,
Chris
September 15, 2017
Dear Church Family,
Now that the dust has settled (or, in this case, the storm has passed), I want to offer a few post-Hurricane Irma reflections.
It always seems that when natural disasters strike, there are people out there who like to attribute these sorts of events to God's handiwork. I read a social media post a few days ago from a popular Christian speaker. In the post, he called hurricanes "manifestations of your [God's] great might." I got curious, so I went to read the comment section of the post. One commentator wrote this:
God alone is the maker of all storms in life. He created us to think about what we have done and where we are going. Earthquakes shall come. Famines shall arrive. Floods will enter our homes. God did it all....He is trying to tell us something.
I want us to think critically about these comments. Granted, there are a few instances in Scripture where God manipulates the forces of nature to accomplish his purposes (e.g., the flood of Noah in Genesis 6-9; the earthquake that freed Paul and Silas from prison in Acts 16:26). But these instances are the exception rather than the norm. Further, the scriptural witness makes clear that when God wanted to send a definitive message to humanity about his thoughts, feelings, and attitude toward us, he didn't send a hurricane, earthquake, or flood. Instead, he took on real flesh and blood in the person of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul writes that "in him [Jesus] the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Colossians 1:19 NRSV). If we want to hear a message from God, we don't need to look at a hurricane. We need to look at Jesus, who reveals a God of infinite love and compassion, a God who redeems suffering rather than a God who causes suffering.
I find it curious when people want to insist that God sends natural disasters, especially since scientists can predict when most natural disasters will occur. For example, because of the San Andreas Fault, seismologists know that California can expect a major earthquake every hundred or so years. And as Floridians, we know that hurricanes do not occur at random times; they always fall between June 1 and November 30, what we call Hurricane Season. Does this mean we can predict the work of God, or does this mean we can better understand the planet God has created? The reality is, our planet is a living, breathing thing, and natural disasters are phenomenon our planet uses to support itself and sustain life.
Hurricane Irma, like every other natural disaster, has brought its share of death and devastation. But already we're seeing glimpses of God taking this tragedy and forcing good out of it. I'm sure all of us have watched images of people in the community come together, pick up debris, and help out those whose homes were badly damaged. That's the work of God, not the storm itself, but the good that comes out of the storm. Nothing is wasted in God's economy of grace. Thanks be to God.
Blessings,
Chris