Tropical Storm Barry is causing a crisis on the American Gulf Coast. It is forecasted to make landfall along the Louisiana coast tonight or tomorrow and could strengthen into a hurricane beforehand.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards warned, “There are three ways that Louisiana floods: storm surge, high rivers, and rain. We’re going to have all three.” New Orleans’ Bourbon Street is already underwater.
Hurricane warnings have been issued and a state of emergency has been declared in Louisiana. The National Guard has been activated as well.
“Acts of God” make it hard to trust in God
Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, cyclones, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, wildfires, heat waves, and droughts affect close to 160 million people a year, killing around 90,000 annually.
So-called “acts of God” make it hard to trust in God. If your car broke down as often as our planet seems to, you’d blame the manufacturer. Since God not only made the universe but rules it as king today (cf. Psalm 9:8), many blame him for the suffering we face.
It’s worth remembering that we live on a fallen planet in which human sin has damaged God’s perfect creation (Romans 8:22). As a result, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19) who seeks only to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10).
Of course, a theology lesson is seldom helpful to someone who loses their home to flooding or their child to leukemia. When my father died while I was in college and our oldest son was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, intellectual explanations for our pain were not what our family sought.
What can God’s people do when crises come?
Tarot, astrology, and crystals
According to the Los Angeles Times, “a growing number of young people . . . have turned away from traditional organized religion and are embracing more spiritual beliefs…
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