Catastrophe After Catastrophe

By Ruth Sakstad

I've been watching the news over the last couple of months as catastrophe after catastrophe happens around the world - earthquakes, tsunamis, wild fires, wars.  The aid workers around the world can't keep up.

I believe that this is the time for Christians to step up to the plate as never before.  I haven't been able to get out of my mind the thousands of Japanese people who went to a Christless eternity last weekend.  Families were torn apart.  Parents have lost their children, children have lost their parents.  My heart aches for them.

I also realize that all of the things did not catch God by surprise and He can work things out for good even though we have no idea how.

All of these catastrophes have caused me to move my prayers from the simple "God bless me and my family" to something deeper and outside myself.

The earth groans but God is still in control.  For that I am very grateful.

Ruth Sakstad

Japan: Suffering Front and Centre - Bryan Norford

The devastation in Japan again prompts the question, “Does God really care about suffering?” It is an understandable response to adversity that appears random and pointless. After all, common wisdom suggests that tragedies like Japan are evidence that God does not care, or even exist.

On his pilgrimage towards Christianity, C. S. Lewis wondered why, in the presence of so much suffering, this belief in a God of love persisted. For him, this became part of the evidence for a God of love. In fact, the Bible helps us understand that this contradiction between God’s love and our suffering is only “skin deep.”

This doesn’t mean that Christians have all the answers to suffering. Unfortunately, the pain of our suffering often hinders us from understanding that God is involved in the pain with us. At the same time, we cannot always grasp the incapacitating nature of another’s pain from the outside.

It is only when we can feel or fully empathize with another’s pain that we can have meaningful discussion on it. Bridging this gap is difficult: it is too easy to give wrong or pat answers. Yet an objective understanding of scriptural truth about suffering is necessary if we are to find significance to our pain.

Hardship will often blunt our perception and the fog of pain obscure reality, but there will be occasions for clear thinking. For instance, will we consider James’ use of “joy” and “trials” in the same sentence (James 1:2) too bizarre for consideration, or recognize his intention to bring meaning to our distress?

James’ uses this tactic of surprise to entice us to consider the benefit gained from life’s tragedies; they are not insignificant or unproductive. James’ notes the primary gain for all who undergo trials—the strengthening of our faith.

The original Greek word for “trial” is used for both words test and temptation in English Bible translations. The New Testament authors understood that all trials—“trials of many kinds” as James declares—are a test, a temptation to disbelieve.

This is not to glorify suffering, often wrongly embraced as means to spiritual rewards. Jesus always sought to alleviate suffering and for most of us it is unwanted and temporary, however interminable it may seem at the time.

But when it is unavoidable, it is a tool for deepening our faith and our lives. As a ship’s captain matures in his understanding of his trade by weathering the storms at sea, so by persevering in our faith during the storms of life we may become “mature and complete, not lacking in anything.”

Bruce Waltke, a translator of the Old Testament, tells the story of his young son facing a painful vaccination. His father took him towards the source of his fear—the needle. Despite the boy’s fear, he clung more tightly to him! The son’s simple faith in his father’s overall care was greater than his fear of the pain.

During times of despair and temptation to run from God, let our trust in His overarching care drive us to cling more tightly to Him and his word. Then we’re prepared with comfort for the suffering and weary.

Some further thoughts on the Japanese tragedy can be found at www.norfords.blogpsot.com/ 

Lydia - Her Opportunities are Great!

Janice Keats

Scripture: Acts 16: 11-15

I picture Lydia as a happy and content woman. It showed in her hospitality when she persuaded her Christian friends to stay at her house when they came to town. Lydia and her guests were worshippers of God. What do you suppose sustained their happiness in worshipping God? I believe they supported each other and shared progress in ministry. Sharing good news among friends generates pure joy in the Lord. It motivates and encourages and builds faith, resulting in being filled with abundant blessings!

There is so much opportunity in the Christian life. There is the opportunity to fellowship, and to experience God’s love and joy in serving Him. Lydia was a servant of God and her community. Perhaps she partnered with others as she ran her business of selling purple cloth. Her joy was from the Lord! God has given each of us gifts and abilities and the opportunity to avail of them. Have we availed of our opportunities and accepted God’s courage to do His Will? His Will has been perfected and chosen for each person. So we can release all that hinders our walk with Him, because He has given His best to us.

We each have the opportunity to share in the peace, the fulfillment and a prosperous life. Much like Lydia’s life. We have been given different gifts but there is one thing that God has given that is the same for everyone. We all have been given the same promises from God! You may wonder what they are. He will give us strength to do His Will. He will give us courage to reach out to others. He promises forgiveness when we go astray, and He promises to be near to the brokenhearted, just to name a few.

God’s Word is full of promises that can never be broken. Psalm 46: 1, 2 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”
Another promise He provides is, “He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” (Psalm 107:9). We can taste and see that God is good. It requires simple trusting faith, and then we will discover that God is indeed God, and He always come through on His promises. Just ask anyone who has had his or her prayers answered.

Janice Keats

Second Chance

What about the greedy one? We’ve all heard the story of the little boy who gave Jesus his lunch. But have you heard about the guy who held his lunch tightly?

He had swiped a handful of flatbreads, warm from his mama's clay oven, and smeared honey over them while his friends tugged at his sleeve. “You always need to eat Yacob! And now he's getting away. The Rabbi is leaving!”

Yacob ran to catch his friends following the Rabbi through the marketplace and into the hills. This Man would do something amazing, like touch people’s ears and they would hear again, but it was the stories Yeshua told that Yacob wanted to hear.

And after he’d sat spellbound all afternoon and the sun stretched its golden fingers across the lake of Galilee, his stomach growled, reminding him of the lunch tucked in the belt at his waist. Others thought the same thing apparently. A brawl broke out between two men beside him, one wanting the food the other had brought.

When a roman whip whizzed by his face, Yacob skittered sideways and clutched his robe closer to himself. Better to not show his food than to end up with a bloody nose. But he was so hungry.

Yacob wound his way through the murmuring crowd to the edge where he could nibble at his bread without having to share. That’s when he noticed that Yeshua, the man from God, had also separated himself from the crowd and was sitting on a rock overlooking the valley.

His eyes held a knowing smile. Yacob dropped his hand from the belt, his fingers burning with guilt. Of course. He stepped forward, wanting to give it to the One who knew all secrets, but Yacob thought about the fresh bread and his mouth watered. What good would his little bit of food do? It would only cause another fight to break out. Yacob turned away, and disappointment sickened his stomach.

What happened next turned the honey sour in his mouth. If only he had trusted Yeshua, the all-knowing One.

Yacob walked home behind his friends, hiding his hands with dust clinging to his honey-coated fingers. How many times did they need to re-tell the story? Of how they stuffed themselves on the never-ending barley loaves. And how fish had never tasted so good! It could have been his lunch that Yeshua held to the sky. He could be the one they were holding on their shoulders now. Instead...

Yacob stopped in the road and glanced back at the hills. That hand on his shoulder as the men were gathering all the leftovers. It felt warm like a spring rain washing his soul.

Yeshua had spoken to him then. What was it he’d said? “Yacob.” He knew his name. “Is there something you wanted to give me?”

Yacob had ducked his head, felt the heat of shame sear his cheeks. “I ate it.” He had choked on the words.

“I didn’t need your food, Yacob. Just you." Yeshua lifted Yacob’s chin and smiled. "You're all I ever wanted."

And then he was gone, with a wink as he turned.

Someday he’d see Yeshua again. And next time he’d hold nothing back.
by Pamela Mytroen