The Asian Tsunami | Features

No one can fail to be moved by the tragic aftermath of the Asian Tsunami. This is surely the greatest natural disaster of our life times, and one that has moved the hearts (and wallets) of many people.

What happened? This Tsunami or tidal wave occurred when an earthquake struck under the ocean. A massive shift in the sea bed caused a corresponding movement of water which continued on until it spent itself on land. Massive amounts of energy built up in the ocean, which was dissipated through the movement of water and it's eventual pounding on land and man. This was allegedly the largest earthquake anywhere in the world for forty years.

One of the hallmarks of such a wave is the tremendous amount of momentum it carries as it travels phenomenal distances before the energy of the wave is dispersed. Some of the islands in the Maldives are barely above sea level and the fact is that the wave went straight over them. Even in greater land masses an eight-to-ten metre wave travelled four kilometres inland.

What is the Church's reaction? The media have made comments like "Christians have had their faith challenged by these events". Even some Christians have been asking 'did God send the wave?' This situation and the questions and comments arising from it need to be made clear so we can concentrate on sending hep to those people in need and avoid becoming closed-minded, philosophical or even anal.

The Source of the wave. Right back in Eden, the earth was shaken by the most significant shaking in history. This shaking could not even be measured by the Richter scale, but from it events happened which have caused a wave has been rippling out ever since.

When God stabilised the chaos of the universe and made man in His own image, God put us in charge of our own sphere.

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

A couple of chapters later when mankind in a perfect environment rebelled against God's one command, God did not curse man, but instead after cursing the serpent, he cursed the ground and at that moment creation itself was shaken. God who is a giver, not a taker, did not wrench authority over the planet back for himself.

The Great Catastrophe When the behaviour and responses of mankind became worse to the point at which only one righteous man could be found on the earth, God came to a decision.

Gen 6:6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth — men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air — for I am grieved that I have made them."

And at this time God brought change to the way the planetary biosphere operated.

Gen 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month — on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

After this planetary catastrophe the man who we have to thank for the existence of the human race made a sacrifice to God.

Gen 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. 22 "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

From this time forward, God allowed there to be a system of seasons and weather in the earth through which we see the expression of elemental power around us.

So for thousands of years the elements have raged as a result of what happened in Eden.

It isn't just the earth that rages, because a wave of rebellion was set off in mankind too and that is still overflowing the shores of our lives today.

The Bible is clear that:

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If our lives are touched by the wave of sin coming from Eden, we will surely die – and we are all touched by it!

The Big Splash So we see that a wave to top all waves, set off in Eden thousands of years ago and continues ripping it's way through lives, separating man and woman and child, causing a massive death toll.

Only Jesus could put a stop to that wave

Matt 8:27 The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

Jesus overcome the power of that wave in our lives though the cross and because He took our punishment the permanent effect of the wave of sin broke on His body. There is safety to all who call to Him.

Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

The World is waiting for salvation. As for the fallen (or sinful) state of man affecting all around us, we read that:

Rom 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Rom 8:19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

These verses clearly tell us that creation is in a state of stress waiting for man to turn back to God. The wave of rebellion and sin that moves through the earth, constantly churns up death and trouble as it's momentum carries it on and on. We all feel the power of that wave and death comes to all because of it. But thanks be to God – there is life in Jesus!

What about the Tsunami? The wave of sin that affects our lives is real, but just as real is the increasing chaos in creation that has the same root in Eden. The Tsunami came from Eden – not from God. Don't play with semantics, God didn't make the wave – we did. We messed up the whole thing, and yet God hasn't taken the world from us.

Biblical prophecy talks about earthquakes and natural disasters that will occur before Jesus returns to the earth. They are just a consequence of that wave from Eden and not the hand of an angry God.

There will be a day of reckoning when we all give an account of our lives before God, but until then we have the freedom to choose Jesus as our Lord and ask forgiveness for the waters we have stirred up and ask Him to speak peace to our waves.

Instead of questions and doubts it is time to put our trust fully in our Saviour, Jesus. We must believe that He exists and is good

Heb 11:6 anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

If we are in a position of unbelief or doubt then we only add to the chaos and confusion in the world.

James 1:6 he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Don't get sidetracked by the media into having a crisis of belief over this tidal wave. Instead let this be a sombre reminder to make sure your life is right with God and use this opportunity to help those in trouble as soon as you can.

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