We are barely three weeks in the Philippines and the country has been visited by three strong typhoons and one major earthquake, not to mention the man-made disasters caused by never-ending inanities of our national leaders. I am reminded once more that man is not in control; that ultimately God is in control. I do not see God as a cruel master who loves visiting plagues and devastation on His people. In the aftermath of the destruction caused by these natural calamities, I can feel the pain and suffering of those affected. I cannot in honesty say that this is the will of God for them. But in the destruction, I can see the compassion of people reaching out to those who have suffered. I can see the outpouring of generosity of strangers to those in need. I can see the love of those affected for the places and loved ones they have lost. In the midst of ugly destruction, they see the beauty they have lost but can build again. In the midst of the pain and suffering, they realize there are people who would come to help them. In some mysterious ways, God is visiting His people.
This may all sound like finding a meaning in an otherwise meaningless or senseless situation. And I am tempted to say that this is simply nature’s random action. There is no reason to it. There is no morality to it. We just have to learn to live with it.
In our everyday lives, we live by cause and effect. If there is smoke there is fire. What goes up must come down. What goes in, eventually comes out. There is nothing random. Everything has a reason. And yet when it comes to the big things in the universe; we say it is all just a random occurrence? That makes no sense to me. Randomness is not in control.
When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile toward him and to cross-examine him about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.
Luke 11:47-54