This week I’ve been following the tragedy that happened in Nepal. If you’re not aware, a giant piece of a glacier collapsed and fell over four thousand feet into a very steep valley where a small river flowed that separated the countries of Nepal and China.
Contained inside of the glacier was a great mass of water; like a lake housed inside of the glacier itself. When the glacier collapsed into the valley, the water inside was released in a great rush, averaging 120 miles per hour down the valley destroying an immigration station, a damn that was under construction, and several villages were swept away completely and buried under several feet of mud, rock and ice.
Untold numbers of people lost their lives.
What should our thinking be when such tragedies occur? Jesus responded to tragedies that happened in His time in Luke 13:1-5 –
Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? 3 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
The first tragedy involved Pontius Pilate having a group of Galileans murdered in the Temple while they were making animal sacrifices. The second tragedy involved a tower falling over and killing 18 people.
Jesus makes a couple of points here. The first is that the people who died weren’t “greater sinners” than anyone else. The second is that all people die and some in very tragic and unexpected ways. He uses these tragedies as an opportunity to urge people to turn to Him before they die and no longer have the opportunity to turn to Him.
Like many of the people in Jesus’ time and like many of the people in Nepal, our lives could end unexpectedly, at any time. If you are not right with God – and the only way to be is to repent and put your faith in Jesus – obey the Gospel while you still can. None are promised tomorrow.
For our good and His glory!
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
