Praise you in THIS Storm?
Last week a tornado ripped through central Florida, killing at least 20 people, and devastating several towns. Among the ruins were a number of churches; among the dead were some of their members. One of those churches, which was built to withstand 150 mph winds, was shredded by the 165 mph storm.In one church building, 6 members were hiding out and 2 of them were killed when the Big Bad Wolf blew their house down (I'm sorry, "allowed" their house to be blown down - big difference there).
The pastor of one church said he was determined to have services on Sunday morning, " even if it means holding them in a muddy patch of grass near the church ruins."
I don't know about you, but if I was the pastor of a church that God just took a big celestial shit on, I wouldn't be so gung-ho about having services the next day. I might take a step back and say, "you know, maybe it's a hint that our sanctuary doesn't exist anymore."
I have read a few articles about the storm tearing apart the churches and I heard a story on CNN about it as well, and frankly, I'm disappointed with the level of journalism I heard. I thought reporters were supposed to ask the tough questions.
But where was the reporter asking that pastor, "do you think God was trying to tell you something?" or "Why do you think God allowed this to happen to you?" Not one reporter I heard was asking those tough questions.
Christians and Jews of the past would have immediately taken a great disaster like that and concluded that God was not happy with them. Anytime there's a disaster against God's people in the Bible, it's 90% of the time because of their sin. Why was it that throughout biblical times all those disasters were because of sin, and today no believer blinks an eye when God totally allows their church that hundreds of thousands of dollars of their offerings went into to get completely annihilated?
With modern Christians, those questions are just ignored. That's because, with them, God can't lose. If something good happens, it's God's blessing. If something bad happens, it's....well, it's not God's wrath. God is working for their good, and that's why he got rid of two members during the storm.
They believe God has absolute, miraculous power, and the same power that healed little Tommy of the flu, decided to hold off last weekend and allow two members who were trying desperately to survive by hiding out in the church to be killed by this storm for a good and loving reason.
I used that answer for years. Everything bad that happened to me was God's way of showing me a greater thing. God sat by, seemingly indifferent towards me, knowing full well I would give him the praise either way.
Casting Crowns has embodied this mentality in their song, "Praise you in this Storm":
I was sure by now, God You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls....
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.
I'm sure there's a myriad of philosophical arguments and discussions about how God has the right to allow this kind of stuff, and how man is sinful and deserves it, blah, blah, blah. I'm not so sure. In fact, I don't buy it at all. If God is there, he's sick and twisted.
I can imagine one of his faithful singing that song while the roof is ripped from his house and his body is wrapped around a lightpole. Is this what God wants? I don't get it. I guess you just have to have faith.
I have read a few articles about the storm tearing apart the churches and I heard a story on CNN about it as well, and frankly, I'm disappointed with the level of journalism I heard. I thought reporters were supposed to ask the tough questions.
But where was the reporter asking that pastor, "do you think God was trying to tell you something?" or "Why do you think God allowed this to happen to you?" Not one reporter I heard was asking those tough questions.
Christians and Jews of the past would have immediately taken a great disaster like that and concluded that God was not happy with them. Anytime there's a disaster against God's people in the Bible, it's 90% of the time because of their sin. Why was it that throughout biblical times all those disasters were because of sin, and today no believer blinks an eye when God totally allows their church that hundreds of thousands of dollars of their offerings went into to get completely annihilated?
With modern Christians, those questions are just ignored. That's because, with them, God can't lose. If something good happens, it's God's blessing. If something bad happens, it's....well, it's not God's wrath. God is working for their good, and that's why he got rid of two members during the storm.
They believe God has absolute, miraculous power, and the same power that healed little Tommy of the flu, decided to hold off last weekend and allow two members who were trying desperately to survive by hiding out in the church to be killed by this storm for a good and loving reason.
I used that answer for years. Everything bad that happened to me was God's way of showing me a greater thing. God sat by, seemingly indifferent towards me, knowing full well I would give him the praise either way.
Casting Crowns has embodied this mentality in their song, "Praise you in this Storm":
I was sure by now, God You would have reached down and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls....
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.
I'm sure there's a myriad of philosophical arguments and discussions about how God has the right to allow this kind of stuff, and how man is sinful and deserves it, blah, blah, blah. I'm not so sure. In fact, I don't buy it at all. If God is there, he's sick and twisted.
I can imagine one of his faithful singing that song while the roof is ripped from his house and his body is wrapped around a lightpole. Is this what God wants? I don't get it. I guess you just have to have faith.