One of the questions most often asked of God is probably, "Why?" "If you are so loving and good, why do such bad things happen?"
In all honesty, I wonder this myself sometimes. Some faith traditions discourage asking questions like this, presumably out of fear that someone would be led away from the faith. But when terrible tragedies occur, like the earthquake in Haiti, I seriously doubt that any of do not wonder "Why, God?"
Let me go ahead and warn you, if you are looking for an answer, you are looking in the wrong place. This is not my attempt to provide an apologetic or to prove anything about God's existence or nature. This is simply a chance to explore what a Christian point of view says in response to a tragedy of this magnitude.
Unfortunately, the Bible does not try to answer the question of "Why?" in a definitive way. But it does offer some comfort. There are a few ideas clear in scripture that help to give comfort to me regarding this tragedy.
First, this was not out of God's control. In other words, God was and still is more powerful than the worst of natural disasters. He created the Earth and everything in it, and he is completely sovereign over the natural processes within it. That is not to say, however, that God made a special plan to kill thousands of people with an earthquake. Many of you have probably heard that Pat Robertson, the creator of the Christian Broadcasting Network, claimed that this earthquake was ongoing punishment from a deal the Haitian government made with the devil in the 19th century.
While his comment sounded a bit silly, a lot of influential people feel the need to give a solid reason for tragedies. Ironically, there was a specific instance in which some people asked Jesus about other people who were murdered by the governor, Pilate, and about some who were killed when a tower fell.
The assumption was that those people were being judged for their sin. What was Jesus response? He simply reminded those asking the question that they were no less sinful than those who died and encouraged them to see that event as a reminder of human frailty and utter need for God. Likewise, we cannot possibly explain the reason why the earthquake happened. But we can see that we need God and turn to him in response to it.
Secondly, God weeps along with those in Haiti. Moab, a nation close to Israel, had been destroyed by war. Isaiah 15:3 records that everyone wore sackcloth and everyone "wails and melts in tears." What is God's response? He says, "My heart cries out for Moab." He also said that he weeps with their weeping and that his heart moans for them. The interesting thing is that Moab was a nation that had been treacherous towards Israel, God's chosen people in the Old Testament, yet he still mourned for them and with them.
God mourns for and with those in Haiti right now. God mourns for and with those who have lost loved ones right here in Thompson. He is not a God who is far from our suffering. He partakes in it.
Finally, if the Bible is true, then we have hope in spite of the troubles we have right now.
The Bible speaks of the end of things when all things are made right. The heavens and the earth will be made new, and so will we. It says that God "will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." And that is the hope that the Bible says is available to all people. All things will be made right. This horrible tragedy in Haiti will be made right. That is the hope that we have.
Brandon Milan is the Associate Pastor of Youth at Thompson First Baptist Church.
