Thoughts on “Our Hurricane” and Compassion – September 18, 2020

Warm hellos to you dear brethren, co-workers, spiritual family on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and scattered children of God, from our offices here in Spanish Fort, AL.

My wife and I pray and hope this finds you all doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.

– As so often seems to happen, just before or sometimes during the Fall Feast season, (or Feast of Ingathering), another hurricane or hurricanes will wreak havoc in several places.

For the first time in my life, a hurricane, Sally to be specific, hit here directly where we live on the Gulf Coast, in lower Alabama.

I’d like to share some of my thoughts as I remained up all night watching, listening, and praying for God’s protection during, and when the sun finally rose, seeing the damage as the wind continued, and heavy rain for hours. No electricity, the creaking and moaning of the house, it was an experience I’d not really like to go through again.

We’re in the process of clean up as we all pitch in to help each other, I’ll need to keep this letter a bit brief as to take care of multiple things left in Sally’s aftermath.

From here to the coast, thousands remain without power, roads blocked off, post offices and banks and companies still closed, and food stores pretty bare having loss a lot of perishables due to being without electricity. Lines at gas stations are long, and stoplights that are out are testing folk’s patience as to who goes next.

My wife and I thank you for the multiple calls, texts, and notes of encouragement…and I do apologize but I’m unable to respond to all for several days, and I thank you for understanding.

Might we consider the words of Jesus Christ in response to a couple of similar tragedies during the time of His earthly ministry?

Luke 13:1-5 NLT About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

Barclay’s Daily Study Bible comments, “We cannot say that individual suffering and sin are inevitably connected but we can say that national sin and suffering are so connected. The nation which chooses the wrong ways will in the end suffer for it. But the individual is in very different case. He is not an isolated unit. He is bound up in the bundle of life. Often he may object, and object violently, to the course his nation is taking; but when the consequence of that course comes, he cannot escape being involved in it. The individual is often caught up in a situation which he did not make; his suffering is often not his fault; but the nation is a unit and chooses its own policy and reaps the fruit of it. It is always dangerous to attribute human suffering to human sin; but always safe to say that the nation which rebels against God is on the way to disaster.”

Barclay’s point is that when nations are punished, individual citizens suffer, not because their personal sin is greater than others but simply because of being caught up in the middle of the punishment aimed at the nation.

A so called natural disaster such as a hurricane, tsunami or earthquake is not a respecter of persons.

We could spend the rest of the time (and then some) documenting warnings from OT prophets to the nations of Israel and Judah and other nations such as Nineveh to repent or suffer punishment on a national scale.

How do we know that this hurricane (Sally) was a punishment from God? Some will quickly jump on this bandwagon to declare sin, sin!

We know that the Flood and Sodom & Gomorrah were God’s punishment of sinners because the Bible specifically tells us so.

Might we focus instead on and consider compassion?

Mark 1:35-41 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” 39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons. 40 ¶ Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

Matthew 20:29-34 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

In neither case do we see Jesus writing off these suffering people as sinners reaping punishment from God. Rather, we see His initial response as being “moved with compassion” and healing the victims. He spoke a parable encouraging believers to offer practical help to suffering victims.

Luke 10:30-37 NLT Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. 31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant1 walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. 33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins,1 telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ 36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

First there was the priest. He hastened past. No doubt he was remembering that he who touched a dead man was unclean for seven days (Num.19:11). He could not be sure but he feared that the man was dead; to touch him would mean losing his turn of duty in the Temple; and he refused to risk that. He set the claims of ceremonial above those of charity. The Temple and its liturgy meant more to him than the pain of man.

Next there was the Levite. He seems to have gone nearer to the man before he passed on….

Then there was the Samaritan. The listeners would obviously expect that with his arrival the villain had arrived. He may not have been racially a Samaritan at all. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans and yet this man seems to have been a kind of commercial traveler who was a regular visitor to the inn. In Jn.8:48 the Jews call Jesus a Samaritan. The name was sometimes used to describe a man who was a heretic and a breaker of the ceremonial law. Perhaps this man was a Samaritan in the sense of being one whom all orthodox good people despised.

We note a couple things about him.

First, his credit was good! Clearly the innkeeper was prepared to trust him. He may have been theologically unsound, but he was an honest man.

Second, he alone was prepared to help. A heretic he may have been, but the love of God was in his heart. It is no new experience to find the orthodox more interested in dogmas than in help and to find the man the orthodox despise to be the one who loves his fellow-men. In the end we will be judged not by the creed we hold but by the life we live.

Where do you and I fit in this parable? Are we moved with compassion and consider what we can do to help alleviate the suffering of victims of disasters? Or do we reason our way out of doing anything to help?

I am ashamed to admit that “the church” at times long ago used to say that trying to do good in this world is like painting the deck of a sinking ship, since this world is passing away and will be replaced with the wonderful world tomorrow.

Some think that we should channel all our donations to preach the gospel to prepare for that coming time, because that is the only solution to the problems of mankind.

Is there something wrong with this reasoning?

Jesus said that His purpose was to preach the gospel, but He still took the time and effort to help needy, suffering people out of compassion and mercy. Many came to help Gayle and me all day yesterday, and then chipped in to help my neighbors who lived next door.

Another objection is that we are so limited in terms of time and money that whatever we might offer would be inconsequential in terms of having any meaningful effect, especially on a disaster of this magnitude.

I’m reminded of this story:

Once a man was walking along a beach.

The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf’s edge and the beach. Back and forth this person went. As the man approached he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide. The man was stuck by the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf. As he came up to the person he said, “You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can’t possibly make a difference.” The person looked at the man. He then stooped down and pick up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said, “It sure made a difference to that one!”

I’ve had some time to really think, and ponder, now that the winds have died down, and my yard will never look the same…as I drive now that roads are becoming cleared of debris…do I turn a blind eye?

– We live in a dying world full of suffering people. We are called to help preach the gospel and prepare for the coming Kingdom of God on earth.

We are not trying to save the world today or preach what is called “the social gospel” that alleges that we must band together to save the world and usher in the Kingdom of God by our good works.

We are part of a very small church overall, even if the entire body of Christ became one.

The Living God Ministries is not equipped to be a relief organization that can offer disaster assistance on the scale needed in disasters such as this hurricane Sally or the fires on the west coast.

Yes, our concern is for members and fellow Christians—but, not to the exclusion of other suffering people, we give priority of our limited resources to those we know who are in need. But as individuals, we can and should respond with compassion and offer whatever help, however limited, to help suffering people by serving when and as we can, and also contributing to relief agencies designed and equipped to offer assistance on a scale commensurate with the need.

I’m soberly reminded of this scriptural admonishment for the apostle Paul.

Galatians 6:10 NLT Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone — especially to those in the family of faith.

Ask God to help you find some starfish that you can save. And let you and I not forget, that we must continually pray, “Thy Kingdom Come” as it is desperately needed.

Arms up friends! Our prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Please do pray for us as well.