The one on the tsunami

It's been more than a week, and I still can't believe the devastation wrought by those killer tsunamis throughout the South Asia region and Africa.

Cathy and I were talking last night, watching some of the wreckage on CNN, and we were saying it was only by a miracle of God that the 7,100 islands of the Philippines were somehow spared from the raging seas. We didn't even come remotely close to death. Praise God for His mercy. We were also saying it was a sign of the endtimes, having started with September 11. Not really sure about that, but the Bible does talk about these things.

Rather than philosophize, I pray for the families of those left behind. In the light of the tragedy, the readings I have on Job seem particularly appropriate. Why do bad things happen to good people?, my New Devotional Bible translation asks in a related reading. We, naturally, have no answers, but I do know this: people learn from tragedy (for the most part). In efforts to prevent similar disasters from reoccuring, people build things bigger, stronger, faster, safer.

The irony is, in light of all these, the best recourse, found by millions of people all over the world, is often to turn to their faith. People find their way back to God in the midst of trial and tragedy, a pinch, really, to snap out of their own selves and turn to the Maker for solace and help.

People will die - that's a given. But when something of this magnitude occurs, and people turn to God, and start up a relationship with Jesus that will save them from the tsunami of a lifestyle that stands to destroy them, that's a good thing.

Meanwhile, I'm saving up to donate some money to the Quezon victims.