Global disaster

The earthquake/tsunami in the Indian Ocean may have had the most global impact of any natural disaster. In a group of seven people I was with today, one was Swedish (there are thousands of Swedes still missing in affected areas), one was Sri Lankan (in touch with parents, but no other relatives) and one was South African (knew four people missing in the area). Three continents represented in one group of people, all directly affected by the disaster.

People will probably ask how it is possible to believe in God when things like this happen. Jesus was asked about a then-recent disaster - here is a passage from Luke 13.

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”