Is Katrina God's Judgment?
That is the topic addressed today by Peter Glover at Wires from the Bunker. I suppose it’s not popular or politically correct to talk of God’s judgment anymore, especially in the midst of what insurance companies refer to as an “Act of God.” Oh, we talk about it in vague, theoretical terms, but rarely when we’re talking about actual events. It’s not very practical in our contemporary society. It did come up after 9/11 and was quickly shot down by the "practical, rational" minds of our society.
There was a time not that long ago, though, when people who believed in God actually believed that He was really involved in this world in ways that were not the equivalent of a cosmic sugar-daddy. God moved. He spoke. He disciplined those whom He loved. Today, God just serves as the elderly, old Santa Claus who welcomes all of the lovely children to sit on his lap in order to hear what they want, ready to submit to their every whim. How we have distorted the sovereign God, Governor, and Creator of the Cosmos. We have created the god of our liking. This god is much easier to tolerate…and tolerance is the name of the game, is it not?
Frankly, I don’t know if Katrina is God’s judgment. I must say, it has crossed my mind a time or two as I have reflected on my own, personal experience of visiting “The Big Easy” and even the Gulf Coast after the emergence of Gulfport and Biloxi as casino-central of the South. I’ve reflected on it as I have reflected on my own sin as a “citizen-sinner” of this sin-filled world.
When the transformation of the Gulf Coast was occurring twelve years ago, my wife and I stopped there on the way back from our honey-moon to spend the night and were told by the man at the hotel not to go out on the beach at night. Apparently, in this man’s opinion, with the casinos was coming the violence often associated with certain high-rollers from certain big-time gambling cities. Then, of course, there is New Orleans. New Orleans, one must admit, was largely a free and easy town in which anything goes…the viler the better in many cases. Mardi Gras is just one very good example. It is…or was…the heart of that city 24/7.
No, I can’t say with all certainty that Katrina was God’s judgment on us all. People can look at any bad event and claim it to be God’s judgment and, certainly, we must not be too quick to declare such action to be the case. At the same time, we can’t say, with all certainty that God has not put up with all He is going to tolerate from this country, in much the same way He tolerated only so much in Babylon, Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jerusalem (AD 70). Has God become passive in His latter years? Has He become more tolerant of sin from those who claim to be His children; from a “Christian nation” in which some 70% say they believe in Him; “one nation under God”? Or is He the same from the beginning to the end? We’re quick to say “God bless America” but slow to question whether or not He still is. If He is still the same, then it must at least be a consideration for those who have actually read Scripture and believe it.
Perhaps it is not His direct judgment. It still could be that, because of our sins as a people, He has withdrawn His hand of blessing and protection and allowed such devastation to occur. God doesn’t “bless America” just because we’re America. That is the height of arrogance.
These are, no doubt, considered the words of some crazed, right-wing lunatic by many in this country today. Perhaps that’s why those of us who have it tucked away in the back of our minds don’t voice it publicly…we don’t want the ridicule; we don’t want to be considered hate-mongers.
Is it hate, though, to attempt to look at world events and try and make sense of them? Is it hate to want to seek out the mind of God to see if there is some reason that He has that has caused Him to allow such devastation? And if there is, is it hate to look for the remedy in which to prevent this kind of suffering in the future? I don’t see how anyone can say it is, unless they have absolutely no concept of a real, live, loving Father who will bring severe punishment on those who willfully dismiss Him.
I don’t know for sure if God has brought judgment through this storm. I do know that, according to our sin, there is no reason why He shouldn’t have. We are much too tolerant of sin. If we are wise, we will at least give pause to our relation to Him, follow the example of many of those who did realize their suffering to be the result of God’s judgment and repent for our tolerance for evil in our own lives and in our country, and turn back to Him. Personally, I would love to see the re-birth of New Orleans; a rebirth absent the debauchery and sinfulness. I would love to see New Orleans re-born as a family-friendly city that is intolerant of crime and cares for all of its citizens.
I believe this can happen and, regardless of the cause, our response to the victims should remain the same: support those caught in the path of destruction; rescue those in peril; love and care for those who have lost their homes, and spread the grace of God wherever we can.
Perhaps Katrina was not God’s judgment and, as many say, just a fluke, chance storm. Perhaps, as some political savvy people have suggested, it really was George Bush’s fault? This much I do believe: we disregard the possibility of God’s discipline on us at our own peril.
There was a time not that long ago, though, when people who believed in God actually believed that He was really involved in this world in ways that were not the equivalent of a cosmic sugar-daddy. God moved. He spoke. He disciplined those whom He loved. Today, God just serves as the elderly, old Santa Claus who welcomes all of the lovely children to sit on his lap in order to hear what they want, ready to submit to their every whim. How we have distorted the sovereign God, Governor, and Creator of the Cosmos. We have created the god of our liking. This god is much easier to tolerate…and tolerance is the name of the game, is it not?
Frankly, I don’t know if Katrina is God’s judgment. I must say, it has crossed my mind a time or two as I have reflected on my own, personal experience of visiting “The Big Easy” and even the Gulf Coast after the emergence of Gulfport and Biloxi as casino-central of the South. I’ve reflected on it as I have reflected on my own sin as a “citizen-sinner” of this sin-filled world.
When the transformation of the Gulf Coast was occurring twelve years ago, my wife and I stopped there on the way back from our honey-moon to spend the night and were told by the man at the hotel not to go out on the beach at night. Apparently, in this man’s opinion, with the casinos was coming the violence often associated with certain high-rollers from certain big-time gambling cities. Then, of course, there is New Orleans. New Orleans, one must admit, was largely a free and easy town in which anything goes…the viler the better in many cases. Mardi Gras is just one very good example. It is…or was…the heart of that city 24/7.
No, I can’t say with all certainty that Katrina was God’s judgment on us all. People can look at any bad event and claim it to be God’s judgment and, certainly, we must not be too quick to declare such action to be the case. At the same time, we can’t say, with all certainty that God has not put up with all He is going to tolerate from this country, in much the same way He tolerated only so much in Babylon, Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jerusalem (AD 70). Has God become passive in His latter years? Has He become more tolerant of sin from those who claim to be His children; from a “Christian nation” in which some 70% say they believe in Him; “one nation under God”? Or is He the same from the beginning to the end? We’re quick to say “God bless America” but slow to question whether or not He still is. If He is still the same, then it must at least be a consideration for those who have actually read Scripture and believe it.
Perhaps it is not His direct judgment. It still could be that, because of our sins as a people, He has withdrawn His hand of blessing and protection and allowed such devastation to occur. God doesn’t “bless America” just because we’re America. That is the height of arrogance.
These are, no doubt, considered the words of some crazed, right-wing lunatic by many in this country today. Perhaps that’s why those of us who have it tucked away in the back of our minds don’t voice it publicly…we don’t want the ridicule; we don’t want to be considered hate-mongers.
Is it hate, though, to attempt to look at world events and try and make sense of them? Is it hate to want to seek out the mind of God to see if there is some reason that He has that has caused Him to allow such devastation? And if there is, is it hate to look for the remedy in which to prevent this kind of suffering in the future? I don’t see how anyone can say it is, unless they have absolutely no concept of a real, live, loving Father who will bring severe punishment on those who willfully dismiss Him.
I don’t know for sure if God has brought judgment through this storm. I do know that, according to our sin, there is no reason why He shouldn’t have. We are much too tolerant of sin. If we are wise, we will at least give pause to our relation to Him, follow the example of many of those who did realize their suffering to be the result of God’s judgment and repent for our tolerance for evil in our own lives and in our country, and turn back to Him. Personally, I would love to see the re-birth of New Orleans; a rebirth absent the debauchery and sinfulness. I would love to see New Orleans re-born as a family-friendly city that is intolerant of crime and cares for all of its citizens.
I believe this can happen and, regardless of the cause, our response to the victims should remain the same: support those caught in the path of destruction; rescue those in peril; love and care for those who have lost their homes, and spread the grace of God wherever we can.
Perhaps Katrina was not God’s judgment and, as many say, just a fluke, chance storm. Perhaps, as some political savvy people have suggested, it really was George Bush’s fault? This much I do believe: we disregard the possibility of God’s discipline on us at our own peril.
Labels: David C. Price
posted by DAVID C. PRICE at 9/05/2005 11:23:00 AM
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2 Comments:
Good post, David. I might add that, personally, I understand God's judgment not so much as lightning bolts zapping from heaven as it means allowing us to experience the full consequences of our sins. What I've always struggled with: how can judgment be reconciled with Christ's atoning work?
I forgot to comment when I first read this. I was going to post on the judgement of God, but I grew lazy.
Only a couple of shared thoughts on this subject...
First I would say, No. At least not in the Biblical sense. From my Scriptural study, God's pattern was to give warning through a prophetic word before sending judgement (not general, but specific). He gives warning and time for repentence. He also usually gets the righteouss out of the way (Noah, Lot, etc.).
Also, if this was his judgement on New Orleans for its lifestyle, I would ask why the French Quarter is among the least destroyed parts of town (it seems he would have wanted Bourbon Street and the surrouding area taken care of). Why would he have taken out his wrath on the poorest areas of town? and on the state of Mississippi (I know gambling)?
I know you don't think it was his specific judgement, but I have thought these for a couple of weeks and kept them inside due to the lack of preaching ops and a general desire to not get to theololgically boring with my co-workers.
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