It seems the world is under siege. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and mass death are dominating the news wires.
In November, more than 140 people died in El Salvador due to flooding. In January, 230,000 individuals lost their lives in Haiti when a 7.0 magnitude rocked the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Last week more than 700 people died in Chile due to a massive earthquake off the Chilean coast.
It’s confusing. It’s impossible to understand why an inexplicable series of natural disasters are wreaking havoc across the globe. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people seemed like an anomaly, but Hurricane Katrina slammed New Orleans a year later. Is it a pattern? Is it Armageddon?
Fortunately we can take solace in our inability to fathom these disasters. My Bible professor, Dr. Houston Heflin, quoted Psalm 93 in class Monday. This short but powerful psalm is concise and to the point in its purpose. In the first verse, the unknown author states, “The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty.”
The fourth verse describes the power of God, saying, “Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea the Lord on high is mighty.”
The nation watched in fear Saturday as reports surfaced that a potentially devastating tsunami was tearing toward the Hawaiian Islands. The power of an ocean surge represents one of the most powerful forces on earth – yet its force pales in comparison to the power of God.
It is comforting to know God is exceedingly more powerful that the greatest forces of nature. It is even more comforting to know how much bigger God is than our own personal storms.
As midterm week arrives, the storm surges are sure to swell as we all deal with the pressure that comes with academic rigor. The storm may seem dark and daunting, but the same God whose heart is aching over Chile and Haiti is still as involved in our lives as he has ever been.
As the Haitians searched for their dead and cleared their streets, the sound of prayers and songs rose from the disaster, ABS-CBN news reported. In the face of a great storm that seemed invincible, a people found peace in something far greater. As midterms approach, the battle may seem insurmountable, but take hope – the storm will pass.
