Of Tsunamis and Faith.

A New Year’s commentary by F. Harewood.

The whole world began the year 2005 aroused, saddened but awed, by the dreadful tsunami of Southern Asia. This natural disaster raised questions of human suffering in the face of a loving God in the minds of some, but hopefully and more importantly it raised questions on the awesome power of nature and by extension - God.

Consider that the earthquake that precipitated the tsunami also moved the island Sumatra a whopping one hundred feet – an island many times the size of Trinidad. Consider as well that scientist are now postulating that the tectonic plates that caused earthquake are now further overlapping each other to the extent that there are suggestions that the earth is now spinning faster on its axis due to the mass of the earth being more compact and therefore by the simple laws of momentum is now spinning faster. The wonders of nature’s power manifested in this disaster are reported for all who are interested in this age of information.

Yet while it may be “cool” for us on this side of the world to be so academic in our assessment of this natural phenomenon, let us not forget that simultaneous with this display of awesome power is the sobering reality of the lost of over one hundred and fifty thousand human beings - and still counting. Physics and geosciences notwithstanding we have witnessed a murderous earthquake and tsunami that will be remembered throughout history. No amount of comparison can trivialize the lost of one hundred and fifty thousand lives in under one day.

It is sobering, as it is frightening, particularly because it is a very powerful reminder of the vulnerability of mankind despite the technological marvels and wonders of a burgeoning 21^st century. Oh yes we can send spaceships to the moon and fly through space and yes we can drop mega-ton bombs with eagle’s eye (no pun intended) precision in Iraq and Afghanistan, but apparently nature is more powerful than we are or can ever be in the future. Moreover what makes this disaster even more unnerving is the thought, the lingering suspicion even, that behind the “forces of nature” or these seemingly haphazard “acts of God” is really a God who is in control of this world and who looks at the so called advances of mankind with the impunity of the beach bully approaching the well constructed sandcastle. It is this vulnerability that is echoed in the cries of “where is God when disaster strikes?” It is this feeling that your destiny is really is the hands of - not capricious natural forces - but really determined by the deliberate intentions of an omnipresent and omnipotent God.

How many are quietly wondering if maybe, just maybe, the well illustrated biblical stories of Sunday Schools’ past are really true and more importantly, what if this God targets me next? Oh, we boast of our own capabilities and self determination when things go well, we celebrated balloon trips around the world, instant text messaging with roaming and all the other marvels of our contemporary life but when disaster strikes –especially of the natural variety there is a quiet unease that is full of introspection as we contemplate our fragile existence.

It is at such times that we need to recognize that faith is not the latest buzz word of the new age movement or a comforting phase – have faith my brother, but rather it must become the real substance of our lives in a post modern uncertain world.

At this juncture in our lives you cannot allow faith to be a preaching for the cold esoteric church pulpit but a living experience in the lives of all of us. Believing in God in this age of “All is yours” and “ef ah is a mook, say what?” cannot be based on empirical data, but on the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

You can sit and wait for proof that there is a God who is in charge of this world but I choose to exercise my faith and believe that HE IS and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Today in this post tsunami and post 9/11 world, the Garden of Eden makes a lot of sense. Today my passion is not for Mel Gibson’s benefit but my own benefit as I strengthen my relationship with my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. You see I have reached the place where I no longer feel compelled or even obligated, to prove God’s existence to anyone. My troubled soul finds peace in knowing that the God of heaven will one day put to an end this terrible world with its many catastrophic shenanigans and usher in a new earth where peace and order with reign forever.

I am also assured in the knowledge that I can achieve that peaceful relationship today, by establishing the routines of any good relationship – conversation (prayer), dating (church attendance), getting to know each other better (Bible study), and affirmation in the presence of others (evangelism).

To those who dismiss my convictions, I say Happy Tsunami! Hope you catch and control the next one before it catches you.

Nuff respect.