Hurricane Katrina

This is way out of date, but that blog yesterday reminded me of something that people said a lot last year after hurricane Katrina. I heard from several Christians, and it was (and probably still is) a common belief among them that hurricane Katrina was a result of God's judgement. People believe that New Orleans was such a wicked city that God went "Sodom and Gomorrah" on it and punished them for their sins.

I'm writing this because I disagree with that.

In the weeks after hurricane Katrina, I talked with friends a few times about that. At the time I didn't really have much of an opinion on it. I just said who am I to limit God and say that he wouldn't do such a thing. In the Old Testament he most certainly did destroy cities and punish people for their sins, you can't deny that. I think a lot of Southern Baptists like the God of the Old Testament because he punished people a lot. And Southern Baptists like that.

It seems like more people considered Katrina a God-sent judgement rather than the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I mean, there were those who thought the attacks were punishment from God; but most reasonable Christians knew that this was just a result of the evil in this world. I guess that since people can't conjure up hurricanes and aim them at cities is the reason why people believe God sent a hurricane into New Orleans.

I won't say I would believe the same thing, but I know it would be a whole lot easier if it weren't for one thing: Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins.

Death and judgement were all in store for us but Jesus took our places. He recieved the punishment for our sins, he paid the price and so now there is no reason for God to judge us or condemn sinners anymore. The only condemnation is for those who reject Christ. But those who accept Christ, no matter what kind of sinner they are; they are saved from a life and death apart from God.

So when people are going around believing that God is out sending natural disasters on wicked cities then I am reminded that in my heart I am a sinner just like the most wicked person of New Orleans. God could just as well kill me and destroy my hometown. I look at that situation and I don't see an angry God who is wrathfully killing people He created; but rather I see a loving God who says "I don't care what you've done. I love you and I will take the punishment for you just so you can be with me."

I think hurricane Katrina was a huge disaster - kind of like a car accident or a fatal illness but on a much larger scale. You know what happened? Some people built a city next to the ocean, below sea level, and a giant storm came and ravaged it. That's what happened. It had nothing to do with their sins or what kind of people they were. It was not a divine judgement or the wrath of God. It was poverty, war, hunger, disease, disaster. It was one of the many things wrong with this world. And I believe that God was not up on a cloud frowning down upon the poor city of New Orleans, but rather he was in the hearts of all the believers who helped out: the people who sent money, housed the homeless, went there and helped themselves, etc. I think God was using us to reach out to a group of people who were hurting.

We Christians really need to stop being so quick to deal out judgement and just try to do whatever we can to help.