A woman rescued from the rubble in Haiti
When you first heard about the recent calamity in Haiti, what was your initial response? Was it sadness, depression, pity, compassion, or grief? How long did that emotion stay with you?
As you continue to hear about the chaos and depravity in Haiti, has it already become old news to you? Do you change the station for the promise of a possible new tragedy or celebrity mishap to offer you some sort of entertainment? Do you hear the fundraisers and pleas for resources and quickly dismiss them because you think that someone wealthier or more powerful than you is in more of a position to help?
Most of us have a natural tendency to assume some one else will take care of it. But, as Christians, those “someone elses” are supposed to be US! Reflect with me on the following:
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death….But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him, in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things (1 John 3:14, 17-20).
So, as “Christians”, how do we show love to those people in Haiti? How can YOU PERSONALLY show love to those people from Haiti? These are questions I am asking you. These are questions I am asking myself.
Dead bodies outside of the hospital after the earthquake hit Port-au-Prince
Oh, and by the way . . . . . . there were “brothers in need” long before the earthquake in Haiti.
Tags: Bethany, Charity, Christianity
When I finished reading this post I had two thoughts:
1. Have I personally done anything, anything at all, to help someone in Haiti? No
2. What can I do right this minute to help? Here is what I decided to do:
http://www.thefishatlanta.com/Article.asp?id=1657297&spid=22180
I thought to go here because I frequently listen to this radio station (104.7 The Fish – In Atlanta) and they mention throughout the day that you can donate directly to the relief effort in Haiti.
If you have other ideas on how people who read this post can make a difference in Haiti, please post your ideas here.
Blessings, Anthony
The American Red Cross (if you want to donate through them) made it as simple as texting the word “Haiti” to 90999.
Maybe this isn’t the best response to a well written post, but doesn’t it seem like there’s always a Tradgedy here lately and with greater levels of death and destruction. One of my “Drew Theories” comes from Romans 8:22 “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” I wonder just as earthquakes and such are signs of “the end”, that these tradgedies are like the “birth pains” that occur before a child is born… the hightened pain before the final release. The birth of a new earth. It is a hope I hold to beyond all this suffering.
My thoughts when I heard of the earthquake were to immediately pray for the people of Haiti – for their rescue, for the rescue workers, and for the love and support of God’s people in any way, shape or form that they could rise up to, or fall on their knees, to participate in God’s work on earth. It was not a question of giving a gift of $$$ to help – our church asked for an offering right off – and the response was great. Seems like such small and insignificant ways to help in just praying and in giving funds, but if all people would live like this everyday then God’s work would be accomplished more quickly.
In response to Drew’s thoughts of the “birth pains”. My husband shared with me that shortly after the earthquake in Haiti, the New Madrid fault line running through the heart of our country, has been silent and not active, and I could not help wondering if this was the calm before the storm for our nation.
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-394609
The CNN ireport 1/18/2010 Shortly after the 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti, the New Madrid fault line/seismic zone, located in the middle part of the United States, became eerily quite. This fault line has been quite active for a very long time, and has been responsible for some of the largest earthquakes ever to be recorded in the world. It has averaged tens of earthquakes per day, most too small to feel, for at least several hundred years. But shortly after the recent earthquake that hit Haiti, it became extremely quite, causing some concern among locals. Based on historical data and research by the USGS and various universities around the world, this fault line is way overdue for a major earthquake, potentially greater than 8.0, such as the quakes that hit in 1811-1812 that rang church bells as far as Rhode Island. If a major 7.0 or greater earthquake were to hit this fault line, it could very well shut down the entire United States, as this central location in Missouri is a transportation lifeline for the entire country. Goods such as groceries, fuel, toiletries, and other essentials could be disrupted for months or longer!
So, as some in our nation pass judgment on the people of Haiti, I choose to follow the Lord’s direction:
Matt 7:1-5
Matthew 7
7:1 Judging Others
“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 “Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
NASU
With sin running rampant in our own nation by way of abortion, partial birth abortion, homosexual unions, ets., …
May God have mercy on us all, and may He direct us according to His Will in meeting the needs of others, and especially those less fortunate then we.
Blessings!!!
Kathleen
My Boss here at work is an avid “Earthquake Watcher”. We get several earthquakes here in TN on a monthly level; most under 2.5 on Richter. Some stories from the last “big one” from the Madrid Fault line: There’s stories of people trying to run away in fear and the ground spewing up hot steam and sulfur out of the ground that literally fried the people instantly like a lazer beam out of a Star Trek episode. Cloudland Canyon State park and the canyon that 64 hwy runs along the Ocoee were literally formed in a day from this earthquake alone… the mountains literally split apart. Evidentally the earthquake’s next “hit” has been due for some time now. Atlanta very may well become beach front property in the next few years.
A backlash mirror reaction of the Madrid earthquake when it happens is that probably alternating fault lines (like the one that runs through Rome, GA) will like a domino effect react as well. It’s also theorized that if the plate shift is too dramatic along the Madrid fault line that Yellowstone (the largest above ground Volcano in the world) could backlash and erupt causing nearly the whole section of northern North America to be devestated by ash and plume.
So does God bring earthquakes? Does His Sovereignty go that far? Is He really in control of everything? Or is it just simply laws of tetonic plates in action? If God is in control, He’s killing a lot of people right now!
Drew,
I have been thinking about the last sentence of this comment since I read it back in January. I looked through the bible for references to God purposely trying to kill people, I thought about it from the perspective of God, from the perspective of a non-believer, and from my own perspective as a Christ follower. I asked myself the question, “Would I blame God if this happened to me or my family?” and the answer in my head was immediately “No”. But why? I finally figured it out this morning. I have so much to say about this topic now but very little time to write…so I am going to skip straight to the bottom line:
Romans 8:38-39 – For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God never promises us a “safe” life. In my life I have been in car accidents, escaped a dorm set on fire by arsonists in the middle of the night with intent to kill (and lost all my possessions to the fire), suffered diseases, experienced financial loss and struggles, and grieved the death of family members. I have never found myself blaming God for those troubles or deaths. Why, because this world is a vapor, it’s a fallen place, and we are all just passing through. God loves us and has a plan for us that extends beyond this life. I am sure that God loves the Haitian people far more than I am capable of loving them. I am sure that he was not surprised that the earthquake happened or that people died. I don’t mean for this comment to belittle the devastation of what happened in Haiti. My heart and finances have already gone out to them but it is my belief that the heart of God has gone out to them as well. Why doesn’t God just stop every bad thing from happening…a subject for another post. The only point I am trying to make in this comment is simply that God loves us and that not even an earthquake can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. I know I am not the only one that feels this way…check out this video from Haiti:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL7HOxbKmNI
There are many, many more like it….
Blessings,
BoB