Help for the Hope of Haiti

Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. Mark 13:8 (NLT)

By now you have heard, read, and seen photos of the devastation in Haiti by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck this past Tuesday. The capital Port-au-Prince is flatten and destroyed beyond imagination. Blood-stained sheets and cardboards cover bodies piled in the streets. Seemingly every standing image of help has been demolished; hospitals, schools, orphanages, governmental structures, even the U.N. Headquarters. What was once called a home for some three million Haitians no longer exists. One CNN report stated the devastation equals the effect of several nuclear bombs. The Red Cross estimates over 45,000 death toll. Last evening I spoke with a Haitian ministerial colleague who has received report that some of his family members survived but yet not a word on three siblings. He had plans for making a trip to Haiti on January 25th prior to the earthquake, and still intends to if permissible. Pray that he and his team are afforded opportunity to go to offer assistance.

In light of the life-shattering effects of this earthquake or any natural disaster, one may wonder, “Where is God in all this (if there is a God)?”...“What does God have to say about this (if anything)?”..."What can I do in response to this?" These questions pervade the mind and heart in moments like this. In our quest to find answers we often turn to theologians. I appreciated the article by Dr. Albert Mohler, especially in light of the remarks made by Rev. Pat Robertson regarding a possible cause of this catastrophic calamity. Let me share three basic thoughts.

• God has not relinquished ownership of what He created: “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers” Psalms 24:1-2 (ESV). Even when the earth shakes, it nor its inhabitants have been abandoned by the LORD God, the maker of heaven and earth. In fact, He's all there is as the ultimate source of help.

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Psalms 46:1-3 (NLT)

• God has not relinquished oversight of what He loves: “I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things” Isaiah 45:7 (ESV). Everything is under God’s control and purview. He is still sovereign even when calamity strikes. Although His purpose for allowing it often is far beyond human comprehension, it does not mean that God no longer loves His creation when some devastation occurs.

And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too. Luke 13:4-5 (NLT)

• God will judge us in offering relief to others: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” Matt 25:35-36 (ESV). This is not a guarantee that doing good works grants one a secure seat in the coming judgment, but offering relief and comfort to others in needy conditions is an expression of service as unto God.

At times God allows calamity that births twins called pain and suffering to drive us to birth twins called prayer and support. #Haiti - @jbeaven Twitter Post

Some may explain this earthquake as God judging a nation, some may cite geological reasons and others may not be able to find any good, tenable explanation. Whatever the reason for this disaster, let not judgment be passed on us for not offering the compassion of Christ by whatever means possible. The gospel is not merely good words, it is the good news of love in action.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners...God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:6, 8 (NLT)

We may not be able to personally attend to the needs of the Haiti earthquake victims, yet there are two things we can do. First, we can pray. Pray for the Haitian survivors' strength, for their emotional well-being through the grief they are experiencing from the loss of loved ones and of everything they had, and for hope in their hearts that they will make it through this tragedy. Especially pray for the ministries, relief and rescue workers, medical personnel, and military support as they provide assistance; pray that provision is made for relief supplies, rescue efforts, and medical care to reach as many as possible so that lives are saved.

Secondly, we can donate towards the relief efforts. Millions of dollars have been raised through microgiving. Everyone can contribute. You can donate $10 via SMS to the Red Cross by texting "HAITI" to 90999. Or, you can text "YELE" to 501501 to donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Foundation. UrbanFaith.com lists 13 faith-based organizations that are offering food, supplies, and emergency relief to the Haitian survivors. Charity Navigator has a listing and ranking of charities providing relief aid.

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 1 John 3:18-19 (NLT)

Copyright © 2010 Johnson Beaven III. All Rights Reserved.

Johnson Beaven is pastor of Citadel of Faith Church of God in Christ (COGIC) and serves as a district superintendent in the COGIC Indiana North Central Jurisdiction. A consultant with International Bible Institute, he helps pastors establish their own local church Bible Institute. His Twitter account is @jbeaven.