Why did this happen?

Why did this happen? A Christian Perspective on Tsunami 2004 by R. Stanley THE year 2004, with respect to Tamilnadu and India, proved to be disaster-ridden. It started with a fire in a marriage hall at Srirangam, followed by another one that cost 93 children’s lives at a school in Kumbakonam. Even as it seemed a good monsoon began to relieve the dry spell of the past four years, the year has ended with a deluge of death and destruction. Earth and sea joined hands on the 26th December to deal us such a deadly blow of terrible dimensions. There is no dearth of scientific explanations as to why this happened. Surely that gives no solace to the thousands who lost their loved ones and livelihood. It is but a small consolation that all the world has tried to empathize and extend emergency relief efforts to those affected. However, the question whether there is a Biblical explanation for this situation keeps beating our minds like waves. The following is a collation of my thoughts and queries which I have had during the past weeklong reflections (Dec 26/04 - Jan 2/05). While cyclones and storms have oft ravaged the Eastern coastal States like Andhra and Orissa in the past, Tamilnadu has remained unaffected. The recent tsunami however has cost Tamil people more than others, in Tamilnadu and in Srilanka. Chennai city so far classified as under Comfort Zone-2 by quake proneness has been pushed down to Zone-3. The Districts of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Coimbatore too are now so reclassified. May be there is something to note here! In all of our Nation, Tamils are the most well-endowed with basic material comforts and spiritual heritage and blessings. May be God is telling them something? When earthquake in Maharashtra and plague in Gujarat killed thousands, it was whispered in Christian circles that it was due to their worship of the created instead of the Creator. Now, the vast majority of fisherfolk swept away by the tsunami are Christians. Our fellow citizens do not know or care to discriminate between Catholics and Protestants: to them, we are all Christians. As Christmas day 2004 was a Saturday, the many who stayed on for Sunday worship in Velankanni Church were also lost to the sea. Earthquake hit Iran on the previous Christmas day, 2003. Why must this “holy season” turn a time of tragedy too? O how many Gospel meetings we conducted on the Marina Beach! O how often by that sandy shore we walked and claimed this land for God, singing, Wherever it be by our feet tread we, it all belongs O God to Thee! “O Lord, be merciful to us; speak to us; turn not Your face away!” At the beginning of 2004, as usual, in New Year Services and Special Blessing Meetings, how many preachers prophesied(?), “I shall bless you from this day forth ... Your sorrow shall turn to joy ... I will show you wonders…!” Of the many popular prophets not one forewarned of this great destruction nor gave a call to Tamil Christians to fast and pray. Does not the Bible say in Amos 3:7, “Surely the Lord does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets?” Did not God confide in Abraham the planned destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” (Gen 18:17); only then could Abraham pray and plead for the people (vv 22,23). The word of prophecy through even a reluctant Jonah helped save Nineveh; but without any such warning the coastal part of Nagai is no more! Was there not a Joseph in Egypt to warn the people about the forthcoming seven year famine so they could be prepared? (Gen 41:28-32). Was there not Prophet Agabus in Jerusalem to foretell the great famine that was coming on the entire world? (Acts 11:27-29). “O Lord, won’t You, please, raise unto us atleast one such prophet?” Unless we are delivered from attachment to the comforts and luxuries of the “shade plants” and learn to attend to the vast needs, physical and spiritual, of the multitudes in our Nation “who know not how to differentiate their right hand from their left,” there is no hope for us or our fellowmen (Jonah 4:10,11). When there are so many poor in our land unsure of when or whence their next meal may be, isn’t it a shame on us, who have amassed wealth to last through generations, that we still seek more prayers of blessing of “god-men?” O when will Christendom be granted true men of God who will boldly and sternly warn us, “If today be your last, to whom would all you saved so selflessly all your life belong?” (Lk 12:20; 1 Tim 6:17-19). Tsunami and its destructive force is a new phenomenon to Tamilnadu. But to many nations along the Pacific Coast such disasters, though not of this magnitude, are not uncommon. Whenever we have heard of them through the news media, what, if any, has been our empathy? Are not all those our brothers and sisters irrespective of nationality or language? We, who wail now as we and ours are affected, did nothing nor shed a tear for them then, did we? Has God now intended to widen our narrow vision? It is to our detriment we are caught in a “worldly” vision instead of a “world” vision. We read in Isaiah 42:4, “The coastlands shall wait for God’s Law.” And today so many isles are washed away before we could visit them with the Gospel! Could we say, “Well, past is past; it will not or may not happen again?” No, the Scriptural promise, Isaiah 54:9, “No more shall there be destruction by water as in the days of Noah,” probably means there will no more be a global flood. Instead, as “the dead will be disposed without lament (i.e. with no proper last rites) in all places,” the immediate thing God expects of His people is to “take care of the poor and the destitute” (Amos 8:3-6). My dear Tamil Christian friends, how many sermons did you hear, week after week, month after month, right through the year 2004? Of them, how many were on Charity? Let me invite you pause and ponder. Isn’t it the common chorus we listen to: “I will bless you ... I will bless you … I will bless you... ?” Is there ever a stanza, “I will make you a blessing?” Do you know that “Christianity is Charity?” (Note I am not saying, Charity is Christianity!) From Salvation to Second Coming the Scriptures underscore the centrality of Charity in private and corporate Christian life. Please ponder the following— 1. Repentance is the first step of Christian life (Heb 6:1). John the Baptist demanded that people must bear “fruits of repentance.” When they asked him, “What then should we do?” he instantly replied, “Let him who has two dresses give away one to the one who has none, and likewise his food” (Lk 3:8-11). 2. The very first thing a man who repents to God does is praying (Acts 9:11). Why then did God say, “Even if you offer much prayer I will not listen?” Because, they took no thought nor action in favour of the poor and the destitute (Isa 1:15-17). 3. Worship and praise are of utmost importance. But one should not lose oneself in the ecstasy of praise and forget “to do good and to share” (Heb 13:15,16). Speaking in tongues as in Acts 2:4 is a “sign” of the anointing of the Holy Spirit; but selfless sharing of material goods as in Acts 2:44 is its “proof.” 4. As much as we emphasize Malachi 3:10 for tithing, we cannot forget to point to Deuteronomy 14:28,29. “God loves a cheerful giver” is written NOT in the context of offerings to God, but giving to the poor (1 Cor 9:1,7). 5. It’s not going hungry without food, but giving food to the hungry which is God’s “chosen fast” (Isa 58:5-7). Fasting of the right kind is to not to withhold the blessings we have in abundance from our needy neighbours. Among those who preach how to be healed, does any one say, “Try Charity?” (v8). 6. It is to preach the Good News to “the poor” that we are anointed with the Holy Spirit (Lk 4:18). All of us know it’s the poor who are the worst affected due to this tsunami. Praise God the poor shall fill Heaven! (1 Cor 1:27,28). Anyone who sets out to preach the Bible must constantly, not just occasionally, “remember the poor” (Gal 2:9,10). The business of seating the rich in the front rows in our Gospel meetings must stop. 7. The Apostle of practical Christian living, James, called out, “Listen, you rich people, weep and wail for the misery coming upon you,” warning as he ended, “Lo, the Judge is standing at the door!” (Js 5:1,9). Mr. Richman landed in hell because he cared not for the poor Lazarus (Lk 16:25). Those excelling in Charity will be promoted to the right side as sheep; but those embedded in selfishness will be pushed down to the left as goats. Beware! (Mt 25:32-46). (If you would like to have an elaborate teaching on the above-mentioned subject you may listen to my audio/video message titled, Faith in Action.) The world of Tamil Christian music (nowadays an industry) brings out numerous new releases of songs, almost as if in competing with each other. Why is there a scarcity for songs on the theme of Charity emphasised so much throughout the Scriptures? See the following translated lyric of yore composed by Rev. Santiago of Madurai in Tamil, its content none to compare today: We will feed the hungry, give healing care for the sick, Just as our Lord did, filled with compassion, went about doing good: We will lift them up, the oppressed and downtrodden, the dear ones Fallen into deep distress, suffering unbearable misery, inexpressible! Friends, let’s thus and so lead this nation to belong to Jesus! May I offer these guidelines for Tamil Christians to excel in Charity— 1. Every Church must collect weekly a “Relief Fund.” Heed missionary Paul’s advice to the Corinthian Church members as he was mobilizing funds for charity: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up so that when I come no collection will have to be made” (1 Cor 16: 1,2). He instructed all congregations to follow this methodology. There ought to be chosen one, wellknown for his personal trait of charitous giving, as a Relief Secretary similar to having Youth Secretary, Women’s Secretary and so on. One of four Sunday Services should focus on the message (and follow it through with practical outreach), “How to be a blessing to others.” Thus when a sudden need arises all Churches could readily provide for it through responsible networking. To help in disasters arising out of nature’s fury, the Indian Government on the 9th January has decided to form National Disaster Management Authority. The Churches in each city must have organised such a set-up long ago to serve as a lighthouse to the world! 2. Why must we go after the American dollar and German deutschemark to run our Orphanages? The Chief Minister of Tamilnadu has announced that the Government would adopt all children orphaned in this tragedy. May not every Christian family with above average income sponsor a child in need? Those living abroad and earning far more than they would here could, instead of adding wealth upon wealth, build homes for the affected poor (1 Tim 6:17-19). 3. It is wrong to think that Charity should always be undertaken in conjunction with Evangelism. The Bible has no such teaching. “Your heavenly Father makes His sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5:45). And this is the “perfection” of character enjoined upon us His children if so we are or would be (v 48). That “they have not, while we have” is sufficient reason to give. “The poor are always with us!” The question is, “Are we always with the poor?” Let us do away with the evil habit of conducting meetings after meetings, in pompous manner, in large auditoriums, trying to evangelize those already overdosed with the Gospel. Let us rather spread out to the slums and the unreached areas and there enlarge our ministry of compassion. That indeed is the Messianic method (Mt 11:5). 4. If a congregation increases to more than 500 or 1000 in membership let us not keep on expanding the Church building; rather establish branches so smaller numbers may worship in wider geographical circles, each bringing the light of witness to more people surrounding them. Quakes, volcanic eruptions and such natural disturbances are prophesied to be on the increase. Safety too is more assured when 5 groups of 1000 members each gather in 5 buildings than when 5000 congregate in a single big building. Footnote to announcing earthquakes as a sign of endtimes, Jesus said, “There will follow persecution for the sake of Gospel” (Mt 24:7-9). The enemies of the Gospel would be more hard put to destroy five buildings than one building. Let us not fall into the spirit of Babel: centralization of authority and resources (Gen 11:4). The money that is wasted in beautifying structures should rather be spent to succour the needy; the King will then be enamoured of our character beauty. While many are without a roof over their head, why build tall gothic structures for vultures to rest and crows to nest and invite lightning strikes? If you wish to help those affected in this tragedy send your cheques in favour of World Vision, 16 VOC Main Road, Kodambakkam, Chennai 600 024, India (Tel: 044-24807070). The medical, food and clothing expenditure to help a family for a period of 10 days is Rs. 2010/- You will be sent a certificate of exemption from tax under 80G mentioning your donations. World Vision and Red Cross Society are organizations with long decades of good repute, who provide sustained help, after, as is often the case, initial interest and fervour have dwindled in disaster-struck regions. The simple and sufficient answer to the vexatious question, “Why did so many die?” lies in the counter question, “Why am I alive?” Not the dead but the living are to be responsible. King Solomon the wise points it out saying, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to his heart” (Eccl 7:2). Those alive are not in any sense saintlier than those dead; nor were the dead more sinful than the living. Read the stern words of warning from the Lord Jesus in Luke 13:1-9. We have dealt deceptively, these “three” years, (or is it thirty, in our case?), yielding no fruit unto our kind and patient Gardener. He has graciously granted us “yet another year.” If we would this year too care not to bring forth fruit expected of us, who knows it might well be our last year. Bearing fruit entails two aspects: one, character building, i.e. bearing the fruit of the Spirit; two, doing good to others. The tree that is deficient in either is surely burden to the soil! Many a time I have read Psalm 90. Its meaning struck me afresh in a fundamentally new way when recently my wife and I read through it in this New Year watchnight service. Make this Psalm of Moses the man of God your prayer too. O the Holy Bible, you alone are the most precious of all in that you have the right Word for every season! I close with a lyric verse of the Tamil poet Vedanayagam Sastriar of Thanjavur— Let us from the depth of our being, Raise to Him as this the first and the last thought; Every day and all our days, Give praise to Him who gives us life! Please take xerox copies of this write-up and distribute it to all the Pastors and Christians in your town. Don’t hesitate to spend money for this. The beneficiaries will be the poor. Though you might not be able to visit the affected areas, God will honour your efforts to create such an awareness among Christians. Those who desire to translate or publish this article in their periodicals may do so, without any change, without permission. I only request that they send a copy of the published material to my residential address (R. Stanley, 13 Church Colony, Vellore 632 006, India). Please send or e-mail this article to your relatives and friends overseas. It’s available on my website: wwwStanleyOnBible.com This message is available in Tamil also, as a printed folder or