Hurricane Isabel, September 17-18, was one of the most destructive storms to hit our area in years. Fortunately, few lives were lost, but financial costs are over 650 million dollars. Most of the damage was done to private property and utility lines. Around 1.4 million people were out of electric power. There is another dimension to such tragedies; that is, the emotional and even spiritual implications. Storms and other violent acts of nature do affect our lives directly. Multiplied millions have been killed or injured by tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, lightning and floods.

I remember speaking once about the affect of weather in the ministry of Jesus. Often when Campaigns for Christ or Gospel Meetings are planned, the weather may adversely affect the work. It is obvious that we do not live in the Garden of Eden. Weather can upset our plans for doing the work of Christ.

Since the hurricane and tornadoes in our area are so fresh in our minds, what can we learn from such experiences?

If there are no other lessons that we can glean, surely we can all agree that violent acts of nature that quickly destroy and take human lives teach us that life is fragile and frail. Our lives can come to a premature and violent end. The Bible does not promise us that God will protect even his own people from such tragedies. But rather it warns us about such things.

"Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:14.)

"Boast not thyself of tomorrow for you know not what a day may bring forth." (Proverbs 27:1.)

"Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and is cut down. He flees also as a shadow and continues not." (Job 14:1.) In Job, our lives are compared to a weaver’s shuttle and the speed of a postman. (Job 7:6, 9:25.)

Human life is precarious and feeble. Man has little power over maintaining his present existence. We are dependent beings. Since we are so weak and helpless, we need someone strong and powerful to whom we may submit our lives. We need to be ready to meet our God. Surely, this lesson is evident and needs no more proof. But the surprising thing about it is that man does not seem to understand the full implications of his own frailty. One of my neighbors said to me after the storm, This kind of storm should bring a nation to its knees. I assumed that he meant that man should bow before God showing his need for God. But alas, so many never change their sinful ways.

One of the arguments against the Second Coming of Jesus and the destruction of the earth by the scoffers in the first century was that "all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (2 Peter 3:4.) Peter powerfully argued that such was not true and offered the Flood as proof. Instead of viewing the world according to the doctrine of uniformitarianism, we should see the world as a mixture of "normal" times and catastrophic events.

Though storms today do not compare with the Flood, it is true nonetheless that things do not continue the same from day to day. Tomorrow may be very different from today.

We are grateful that there is some continuity and some pattern in nature and life. Storms and catastrophic events, however, are a part of that pattern. Normally, as long as the earth lasts, we can depend upon the familiar patterns of nature from sunrise to sunset, from one season to another, and from birth to death. But man has a strange ability to grit his teeth in the face of such adversity as long as he is spared this time. We often learn the most valuable lessons by hard experience, instead of by wisdom. It is better, of course, to be wise, observe and learn by thoughtful reflection.

We all have noticed that in every storm that some survive and others do not. In fact, the majority often survives and only a few lose their lives. The Flood of Noah’s day was an exception. Only eight souls were saved by water and all the rest perished. In the Titanic tragedy of 1912, out of 2200 on board, only 705 were rescued. When the tower of Siloam fell in Jerusalem, eighteen were slain. (Luke 13:4.) We are all shocked for the moment, then life continues because the majority was not touched by the tragedy. But we must learn the lesson that all things do not continue as they were from the beginning.

Brother Jack Exum once said to me that there is a principle that everyone should learn. He called it the "TC" principle of life. "TC" stands for "things change." Things do change, often abruptly and when you expect it the least.

If storms do not teach us anything else, they should teach us compassion and love for those who suffer. Storms and tragedies often bring out the best in us. Perhaps, we realize how easily we could have been the victims. Sometimes, survivors feel guilty that they survived and others did not. But why should we wait until disaster strikes to show kindness and brotherly love? Christians are taught to do good unto others everyday.

"(Jesus) went about doing good and healing all that oppressed of the devil, for God was with him." (Acts 10:38.)

". . . the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ." (2 Cor. 1:3-5.)

Job’s three friends failed in their relationship with Job because they were so obsessed with their theological pondering over why Job was so stricken. Job called them "miserable comforters are you all." (Job 16:2.) Often, we do not know why tragedies happen. Why some are victims and others go unharmed. An old theological theory, now clearly discredited, was that people suffer tragedies because of some judgement of God against them. The Bible teaches that while that is sometimes true, it is also true that the innocent often suffer. Job was innocent. He did not suffer because he was such a sinner above all others. The eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell were not sinners above all that dwelt in Jerusalem. Jesus said, I tell you no, but except you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:4-5.)

Our first response to suffering should be compassion, not judgement. Tragedies teach us to be compassionate people.

On August 15, 1976, a 727 Boeing jet with 59 passengers on board disappeared in Equador. The wrecked plane could not be found. Many looked for the plane and the passengers. Families of the victims were puzzled for 26 years concerning the fate of their loved ones. Finally, some mountain climbers found the plane buried in a snow-capped mountain with all the passengers’ bodies frozen inside. When the rescuers found them, they also discovered that others had found them before them. Instead of reporting that they had found the plane, they stole billfolds and jewelry from the passengers. They were stripped of all their possessions while they sat lifeless in their seats. Probably the worst crime of all was knowing that they had found a missing plane with its passengers and refused to report it.

(Recently reported in Action, World Bible School, August 2003.)

It is a sad commentary on mankind that the National Guard often must be called out to protect property and possessions after storms. Storms bring out the best in some and the worst in others. Tragedies should teach us all to be compassionate and helpful.

Tragedies should also teach us that something is wrong with this present world. No matter how strongly we try to explain away the death and the destruction, the truth remains that storms are not good things for everyone. I have heard that hurricanes are not all disastrous and harmful, that they serve a useful purpose. Some claim that these violent storms coming from the equator and moving outward actually serve to redistribute the concentration of heat from the equator outward toward the frozen poles.

Others speak of the value of the forest fires out west. Yet thousands of acres of timber are destroyed and many homes burned. Whatever the value may be of such violent natural disasters, yet the loss of innocent human life is still difficult to explain away.

Some claim that they cannot believe in God because of natural disasters. Storms should teach us that something is wrong with our world. We often see pictures painted of farms with red barns, white fences and green grass. Inside the fences are beautiful healthy farm animals. Yet that is not an entirely truthful depiction. Most barns are not painted beautiful red because the farmers do not have the time or money to paint them. Many fences are broken down and animals are not always healthy. Farm animals, like humans, become sick and die.

The best explanation that I can offer is that the fall of man and the subsequent curse of God upon our world changed everything. (Gen. 3.) The Noachian Flood "destroyed the earth," according to Peter and Moses. (Gen. 6:13, 2 Peter 3:6.) This world is not the same one that was originally created. This world is not our home. We should look for another one to come; a new heavens and earth wherein dwells righteousness.

Just a few hours or days afterward, there is a peace and calm that quickly follows in the wake of a storm.

In 1873, a businessman from Chicago, Horatio G. Spafford, decided to take his family on a vacation to Europe. He booked passage on a French liner, but at the last minute, business prevented him from going. He put his wife and four daughters on the ship, planning to join them later in Europe. On November 22, the liner was rammed by another vessel. In twelve minutes, the ship sank to the bottom of the ocean, killing 226 people, including Spafford’s four daughters. Nine days later, when the survivors reached England, his wife sent him a two-word cable: ‘Saved alone.’ He immediately booked passage on another ship to go to England to be with his wife. One night the captain called him to his cabin. As nearly as I can tell, the captain said, we are over the spot where the ship sank with your daughters. Spafford returned to this cabin. There in the valley of the shadow of death, he wrote the song, It Is Well With My Soul.

When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well with my soul

(Quoted from Truth for Today Commentary: Acts 15-28, 470-471.)