When Tragedy Strikes

Just 8 days ago life changed forever for a number of tourists and their tour guides. Mostly from a cruise ship, 47 set off for an exploration of Whakaari/White Island 50 kms off the eastern coast of New Zealand's North Island.

Tragedy struck, at 2:11 pm on Monday 9th December, when the active volcano 'burped', (as one volcanologist put it), with no prior warning; spewing mud and fumes and causing life threatening burns to most.  Sixteen people have so far died and the death toll will probably rise, others are suffering unimaginable pain, and their loved ones suffer too. Christmas will not be a season of joy for those affected but of wondering what the future holds.  We need to remember to pray for them.

Today news came of another earthquake with loss of life in the Philippines, and my phone just beeped that a primary school is in lockdown in Hawkes Bay, fortunately the school is not involved in the firearm incident but one person in the area nearby is in critical condition.

We are reminded that in life there are no guarantees.  Psalm 144:4 says, "Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow." And Psalm 90:12 (NLT) says, "Teach us to realise the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." 

What wisdom do we need to grow in?  Psalm 110:10 (CSB) tells us...."The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his instructions have good insight." Other translations  say "all who follow his commandments."  In other words, we will do things God's way if we are wise. We can't do that without knowing Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord; trusting in his righteousness rather than our own good works or 'trying to be good'; walking in obedience to his instructions; turning from sin and walking in love and forgiveness toward one another.

There is an afterlife, we are eternal beings, we don't just die and that's it.  We move from this dimension to the eternal dimension. We will all appear before the judgement seat of Christ.  We need to make ourselves ready because we never know when our 'number is up'.  Are you ready?

PRAYER: Dear God, we pray for the people involved in the recent tragedy at Whakaari/White Island that you would give them your peace and healing.  We pray for their families and friends who are so affected that you will give them comfort.  We pray too that you would remind us of the need to make ourselves ready to meet with you.  Give us your wisdom for living life to please you. Amen

Strife & the Cure

Strife: I checked the dictionary for a definition; the list was lengthy and included.......disputes, controversy, quarrel, vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, antagonism, competition and rivalry.

You may well ask why I would want to write on such a subject....I ask myself the same thing,  yet I feel constrained to do so because strife seems to be almost the only constant thing in our world right now.  Strife has embattled my beloved Hong Kong this past 6 months, and in nations too many to number..... including Venezuela, Spain, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Turkey, Afghanistan, Nigeria, DR Congo, Mexico, USA, and the UK. Most of these are still ongoing.

Strife is not only in nations, it's in the workplace, in communities, families, even in churches.  Did you stop to wonder what's behind it all?  I can tell you it's the devil AKA Satan.  Revelation 12:12 says this......Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."  A short time for what??  To wreak havoc on this earth, setting nation against nation, people against people, bringing every kind of evil. To rob, kill and destroy, Jesus said. John 10:10.  He is literally out to take everyone he can for himself and his kingdom - hell! Oh, yes, hell is real and we get to choose our destination by whom we choose to follow...Jesus or Satan.  By the way, not making a choice is not an option.  If you don't choose Jesus your default is Satan's camp......as uncomfortable as that truth is. We are all born in sin which makes us enemies of God.  You can be the best human being on earth but unless you receive Jesus' goodness you are lost to God  (Ephesians 2:8-9).

It's very easy, if we just connect with local news, to not get a true picture of what is really going on in the world.  We could even ask if it's  important that we know these things.  I think it is because they are some of the things Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:6-8 that would begin to herald his coming again.  In Matthew 25:13 he says that we should be watchful because we don't know when he will come, but we need to be ready.

I said that strife seems to be almost the only constant thing in our world but I have good news; it is not the ONLY constant.  Our creator God changes not, His son, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.  You can't get more constant than that.  And Jesus is the way to eternal life.  There will be no strife there.

His gift of salvation is free, through faith but it does cost.  It costs that we take time to look long and hard at the cross of Christ and what it means for us.  When we do that we will experience what the hymn writer wrote so many years ago. Let me leave you with his words to consider........

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ may God!

All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.

      See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorry and love flow mingled down!

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?

      Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small;

      Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ....make this my song, take my life and let it be lived for you. Amen