Japan. Is God Loving or is He All-Powerful?

A copy of a Japanese painting from Google Images.

Last week I had a blast writing all about our fun vacation.  But when I look at our sunny beach pictures with the tame and cheerful ocean in the background I am also solemn.  I can't help but think about Japan, and their ravaged shorelines, and their pain.  

Sitting here in my safe, cozy little world it's hard for me to imagine the terror and horror they have experienced during these past 10 days.  One disaster right after another.   

This kind of devastation captures the attention of the whole world.  We stop in our tracks.  We shudder.  Our hearts flood with compassion.  And fear.  We ask, "Why?"  Why does God allow things like this to happen?  What is God doing?!   

Last week MSNBC interviewed a Michigan pastor about a controversial book he recently wrote.  But MSNBC host Martin Bashir opened the interview with a surprising question that had nothing to do with the book at all.  

"Before we come to talk about the book, just help us with this tragedy in Japan," he said.  "Which of these is true?  Either God is all-powerful, and He doesn't care about the people in Japan (and therefore their suffering); or He does care about the people of Japan but He is not all-powerful.  Which one is it?"

I realize this is a mighty big question to address in a little blog post.  Entire books have been dedicated to this subject.  But ever since I heard that question it's been echoing in my head because I think it's a question a lot of people have asked. And as I have watched the videos and seen the pictures and read the articles about all that's been happening in Japan, I have been digesting it all slowly.  

I obviously can't speak for God about what He is doing in Japan, or why.  I don't know.  No one knows the complete answer.  

But there are some things I definitely do know.  

I know that answer to the question above isn't either/or.  

It's both/and.  

God is love.  And He is all-powerful.  

He is love.  He definitely cares about the people of Japan, and their suffering.  God loves the people of Japan.  

He is all-powerful.  He allowed that great earthquake to shake their country.  He knew the horrific ensuing chain of events it would trigger.  He could have stopped it.  He is all-powerful.  But He didn't.

Why?

We don't know, fully.

But we do know, from the Bible, the following.

3 Things We Know About the Immediate Picture

1.) God is mourning with Japan.  When Lazarus died in John 11 and Jesus saw the pain and sorrow that suffering and death brought to Lazarus' sisters Mary and Martha and all of their friends, the Bible tells us that Jesus "groaned in His spirit and was troubled."  And then, that "He wept."  When God sees people suffering and mourning, it breaks His heart.  God cares deeply about the chaos and pain that is going on in Japan, and around the world.

 

2.) God has not abandoned believers in Japan.  He is with the Christians in Japan.  He hasn't left them alone, even though right now I'm sure it feels to some of them like He has.  When disaster strikes, God never abandons his children. 

"...I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5

3.) God offers real comfort, healing, hope and life! to anyone who will accept it.  He is holding it out to all of the people who are hurting right now in Japan, and to us as well.  It's up to each one of us to accept it.

"I am the resurrection and the life.  

He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  

And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  

Do you believe this?"  

John 11:25,26

God often uses great tragedies to draw us to Himself.  It seems ironic, but sometimes it takes an epic demonstration of God's power for us to wake up and realize that He is love; that He is near, and that we need Him.  We are a stubborn, proud human race.  But pain can strip away our pride and prompt us to reach out to God.  

The moment we do that we find wise, strong, loving arms waiting to comfort us and carry us to safety. 

3 Things We Know About the Big Picture

1.) It didn't have to be this way.  When God created our world for us it was perfect.  It was good.  There was no danger of earthquakes, volcanoes or tsunamis.  It was a safe, beautiful home.  

We (mankind) screwed it up by choosing sin's way over God's way.  Adam and Eve disobeyed God; they ate the forbidden fruit and as a result God cursed the earth.  He cursed the very ground (Genesis 1:16-19).  He is loving and He is all-powerful.  He is also just.  The punishment for sin is death; so because we are sinful, death, and earthquakes, and disasters wreak havoc on this earth.  God hates sin, and, unpleasant as it is to think about, He is going to punish the world, and all of the people who refuse to accept His forgiveness, for their sin.

2.) God uses everything that happens to accomplish an ultimate, greater good.  This is something my pastor talked about in church yesterday, preaching about Joseph.  We can't always see what God is doing...we definitely can't right now when we look at Japan...but we can bank on the fact that He is using everything that happens for His good purpose.

"But as for you, you meant evil against me; 

but God meant it for good..."

Genesis 50:20

3.) The chaos in our world won't last forever.  There really is an "end of the world" coming.  Tragedies like this are shocking, but not surprising.  God already warned us about this earthquake.  It's a sign that the end is getting closer.  I had to  re-read Mark 13 when I first heard about everything that was going on last week.

"And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, 

do not be troubled; for such things must happen,

but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, 

and kingdom against kingdom.

And there will be earthquakes in various places,

and there will be famines and troubles.

These are the beginning of the birth pains."

Mark 13:7,8

Verse 8 is more poignant to me than ever before since I just had a baby seven months ago.  There have always been horrible things going on in the world.  But it definitely seems like the "birth pains" are getting stronger and closer together.  The big event will come!  Jesus is coming back!!  He has promised us that He will come back and make things right at last.  There will be a new heaven and a new earth.  The pain and confusion and horror we are seeing in the news will not last forever.  

But in the meantime, before He comes, those contractions are just going to keep on coming.  And they will come stronger.  We are going to see more earthquakes and disasters in our world; disasters even worse than what just happened in Japan. It's not a cause for panic, but a cause for sobriety.

"Watch, therefore, for you do not know what hour 

the master of the house is coming -

in the evening, at midnight, 

at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -

Lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.  

And what I say to you, I say to all:

Watch!"

Mark 13:35-37

The only way we can be truly ready for these "labor pains," and for Christ's return, is to know that we belong to Him. 

"For God so loved the world,

that He gave His only Son;

that whoever believes in Him 

should not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16

Are you ready?