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| devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan |
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The Alarm of God's Power
- by: John Koh • Wednesday, 16th March 2011 • | The images are hard to shake: the ocean flooding into the coastal cities of Japan and destroying everything in its path; nuclear power plants exploding and leaking radiation; Japanese men and women hunched over, on their knees, weeping for loved ones now lost; the looks of utter despair in the eyes of those traumatized.
This past week, through these shocking events, the alarm of God's power has sounded off once again. For those who have been slumbering spiritually, I hope it will do the job of waking us up to the reality of God’s sovereign might and the utter frailty and insecurity of life! I have been thinking about three truths that stem from the Japanese earthquake/tsunami.
Watching cars and boats and planes being swept away by the tsunami reminded me again that our God is an awesome God. A 9.0 earthquake is nothing… it’s an unnoticeable wiggle of His pinky finger. All of these scenes culminate in the truth that our God is sovereign! And the more displays of His strength we see, the more secure our lives will be as we rest in His perfect and good sovereignty over the universe He made. I’m grateful that He is in charge of every molecule and atom, and that nothing ever happens apart from His sovereign will willing it to occur. The more we trust in the sovereignty of God, the more secure our lives will be. There is no need to wrestle in anxiety and worry and fear when we know that the God who made the world and everything in it is for us, never against us (Isa. 41:10; Psa. 115:3; Rom. 8:31).
The second reflection I have is that life is short, fragile, and insecure. James tells us that life is a vapor (Jam. 4:14). It’s here today and gone tomorrow. We have no idea when our lives will end, whether we will live to a ripe, old age, or whether it will be cut short as it was for the thousands who recently lost their lives. Not only is physical life short, it’s also fragile. Modern technology, engineering advancements, and a host of other luxuries in life have insulated us from this fact. There is no sure security. We can build our moats and towers and install the latest security systems, but that is no guarantee that our attempts at safety will be brought down one day by the sovereign power of God. This is why the Bible repeatedly calls us to avoid loving the world. It is passing away, temporal, and will never give the security we long for in this earthly life (1 Jn. 2:15-17; 2 Pet. 3:7). Why be enamored with something that is going to burn in the end and offers no hope?
The final reflection is that knowing King Jesus provides the greatest love, joy, peace, and hope one could ever have in this lifetime, as well as the next. Simply trusting in the Gospel truth that Jesus died and demonstrated His love for His people keeps my mind and heart from racing to all the “what ifs” of life. We are safe and secure in the nail-pierced hands of our faithful and loving Savior! May the many in Japan (as well as the rest of the world) who have lost loved ones, homes, and health, come to know Jesus Christ as their sovereign and merciful King! |
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