Who's fault is it anyway?!

Yesterday, I found myself in gripe about America's non-response (or lack of significant response) to other nations and their plights. Today, I want to turn the attention inland. Maybe it's just a rumor; but I heard that John Hagee declared that Hurricane Katrina was the result of God unleashing His judgment on the city of New Orleans for their homosexual lifestyles.

If this is true, then his ideas hold pretty consistent to other evangelicals who believe that God was punishing New Orleans for being sinful; reminenscent of Sodom and Gomorrah. Unbelievable! I mean, if that were the case, then Hollywood and Las Vegas would have been wiped out years ago (don't let me get started on Washington DC). Simply put, this was a natural disaster that our country was totally unprepared for. Now, I do believe that God used scientists and meterologists to warn us ahead of time in the event of a major hurricane. In fact, National Geographic publishied articles (also supported by a television special) about what would happen in this circumstance. We simply ignored the warnings, much like the people ignored Noah. We all know happened then.

God reminds us in Isaiah 55:8-9 that His thoughts and ways are MUCH higher than ours. So, how can we make declarations about what He does and why? I mean, does someone has a special pipeline of revelation that we don't know about? Luke 6 tells us not to condemn people or make judgement about their salvation -- or what should be done with them. Instead, we should try to restore the Spirit of gentleness on a person. But we should NOT stand behind our bully pulpits and say that God was judging New Orleans. Frankly, we have no idea why this happened; other than the fact that the Gulf of Mexico increased in temperature. Sadly though, Katrina has caused people to become dogmatic, judgemental, and condescending to people who lost their lives, their families, their homes...everything they had. As if any of us are so much better...

Next question: Not everyone in New Orleans was unsaved. So why did God wipe out the righteous with the unrighteous? I mean, if my Bible trivia serves me correctly, God allowed Abraham the chance to rescue his nephew Lot and his family from the destruction to come.

Come to think of it, maybe it was God who prevented the relief efforts for the victims. I guess God was also judging Galveston and Houston with Rita, right?! Maybe He was judging California with earthquakes and wildfires? How about America with 9/11? *Please note my sarcasm*

Does America need to repent? Absolutely! But it's not just the people in the so-called "city of iniquity" called New Orleans. Repentence is required in every city, in every home, in every heart. We will all be judged by a God whose love wouldn't WILLFULLY drown children; who loves us too much to wipe out a city just to prove a point -- for such a God would have to, once again, destroy EVERYTHING with a flood. Didn't He promise never to do that again?!

The point I'm trying to make is simple: we really don't know what God is up to so we need to extra careful when attributing things to Him. Instead, we should exercise faith that He, in His sovereignty, perfection, and love, knows exactly what He's doing. Until next time...

- ACL