The longer I walk with God, the less I believe in coincidence.
There was yet another misguided jihadist’s attack in New York yesterday. This devotional from FiveStarMan was in this morning’s mail. I found it solid, timely counsel and pass it along.
Don’t Curse God When Tragedy Strikes
PROVERBS 1:27
When your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. 28 Then will they call upon me [Wisdom] but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me.
PRINCIPLE
All tragedy is a result of the fallen world.
Have you noticed that when people are experiencing good times they party – celebrate – and take credit for their good fortunes; but when things go bad they curse and blame God?
I can’t tell you how many times people have cried and complained to me, “Why did God allow this to happen?” They spew out their anger as if they are something special and do not deserve their calamity.
How do you respond to tragedy?
Jesus’ response to tragedy can serve as a lesson.
“Those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:4
Jesus is teaching that if we are not careful, we can think a tragedy is a targeted judgment of sin, when in fact; ALL tragedy is a result of the fallen world. The earth is groaning as in birth pains awaiting the redemptive work of God (Romans 8:18).
Jesus warns those judging the tragedy of the fallen tower of Siloam that the eighteen who died were not more sinful than anyone else; they were simply the result of the tragedy of death (that derives from sin in our world).
In the face of tragedy, these are comments you should NOT make:
• This happened because they are cursed.
REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
• God is teaching them something.
• All things work together for the good. (This is taking a scripture completely out of the context and applying all acts as good. Obviously, this is not true.)
• They lacked faith.
• Hopefully, this will turn them to God.
• Well, I am just glad it didn’t happen to us.
• They deserved it.
• God did this. (Be careful of this one. Do not sin with your lips by accusing God of a tragedy.)
These are responses we SHOULD have:
• What can I do to help?
• Who is responding and how can I help them?
• How can I pray?
• I am humbled by this tragedy and I want to invest in helping in every way that I can.
REMEMBER: Don’t curse God when trouble strikes. *** FIVESTARMAN, The Daily Champion.
Friends, by now only fools or those intentionally trying to mislead, for whatever reason, lay these worldwide attacks at the feet of anyone but Islamist radicals. No matter who taught them, where they came from, or how they got here, they all have their roots in this hateful, spite-filled brand of Islam.
Equally, only fools or those intentionally trying to incite believe all Muslims are hardened Islamist radicals. However, until the Muslim world comes clean and repudiates Islamist terrorism wherever it appears – and joins the rest of us in both condemning and acting to stamp it out – the sad truth is that the Muslim world must be held complicit. Many of them are suffering from this same sick belief, too. One would think they’d do whatever it takes to help get rid of it.
No one has given God, His Church or His people a pass because of the horrendous acts of a few zealots saying they were acting in His name. Islam needs to be held just as accountable. It’s time Islam’s Allah and those who follow those teachings take responsibility for what’s being done in their name.
It’s also time we stop this foolishness of siding with the Cross’s enemies in blaming God and His Church every time something like what happened yesterday in New York City occurs. Some men and women do what they do because they are evil, having handed their soul to the Adversary. No one has to incite them.
The Sovereign Creator is just as saddened by the effects of sin in His world as are the rest of us.
Join with me in praying for all those whose lives have been irreversibly touched by this disgusting act. Surviving this attack was not what the perpetrator had in mind. Something tells me he won’t enjoy what follows.
© D. Dean Boone, November 2017