Login » Sign Up! » Search

Spiritual Tsunami

Get the discussion questions for Spiritual Tsunami

On December 24th, 2004, I was in my little corner of the world saying goodnight to my family and goodbye to whatever diet I had foolishly committed to sometime during the year. My biggest concerns that evening were whether or not Santa was going to be good to me, and if I would ever be able to go to sleep after consuming such a cacophony of caloric confectionaries.

On December 26th, 2004 I was unaware that in another corner of the world a disaster of shocking proportions was unfolding. Nearly 100 miles off the western coast of Indonesia's Sumatra Island, a 9.0 magnitude quake rocked the earth's foundation near India and launched a tsunami which collided against the shores of an Asian region most of us couldn't even locate on a map. Upon hearing the tragic news the next day, my little concerns were shown for what they were, and I sat in stunned silence as the death toll numbers skyrocketed into the incomprehensible.

What magnifies the tragedy of this deadly event even further is the fact that many lives could have been spared if that part of the world had some kind of warning system. If only the governments of those nations would have been made aware of the enormous earthquake. If only there was mass communication available which could have broadcast an alert for people to vacate the doomed areas. If only...if only...if only.

But there weren't any of these things, and tens of thousands were relaxing on the beaches and carrying out daily responsibilities as if nothing could change in the blink of an eye - but in a blink of an eye they were gone.

Let me throw a question your way. If you knew the tsunami was coming and you had a way to let people know, would you? At first thought I know you would say "ABSOLUTELY," but I beg to differ. Perhaps you wouldn't because you wanted to build a relationship with those people before breaking any bad news. After all, you don't even speak their language much less understand their culture. You might offend them and they might not like you anymore. Or maybe you would hesitate because you feel you don't know enough about earthquakes, tsunamis, and tidal waves, and you certainly wouldn't want to look like an idiot. Then there are those who might not say anything about the coming catastrophe because they feel it is really the job of someone else.

By now you should be thinking "what kind of fool would hold back warning people of an approaching catastrophe?"

Answer: the same kind of fool that you and I oftentimes play.

The Bible makes it crystal clear that at any moment a spiritual tsunami could come crashing down not in one corner of the world, but on the entire universe:

The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. (2 Peter 3:9-10)

A holy earthquake has already occurred, and Jesus is returning swiftly to judge the living and the dead. It will be the end of days as we know them, and nothing can stop it from coming. Much like the Asian tsunami, it will be a terrible tragedy, but the good news is that it doesn't have to catch anyone by surprise. We are the warning system- and we are the only ones on earth who can alert everyone around us to the danger that faces us each and every moment!

Yet so many times we hesitate. We stumble and stall our way around our God given responsibility to warn people, worried about whether or not we might offend them or if we have a 'deep' enough relationship to talk about spiritual things.

The events and catastrophic aftermath of the tsunami cannot now be changed, but let it serve as a reminder that we have been entrusted by God Himself to be the emergency broadcast system. There is an actual emergency coming, and we have been given instructions on how to proceed:

Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! (2 Peter 3:11)

The imminent return of Christ should motivate us to tell everyone we know about the incredible salvation offered them through the death and resurrection of Christ. Will you be used as a tool or deceived as a fool? The choice is up to you.

Head: What you need to know about this truth

The imminent return of Christ should motivate us to tell everyone we know about the incredible salvation offered them through the death and resurrection of Christ.

Heart: What you need to feel about this truth

The return of Christ is an event which will be a tragedy to those who spent their entire lives rejecting Him, but it will also be a day of incredible joy for those who trusted in Him. The really amazing thing that when Jesus comes back it will be a day of great reunion for those who have lost loved ones who knew Jesus and the end of death for all Christians at the time. Here's what the Bible says about the subject:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. So comfort and encourage each other with these words. (I Thessalonians 4:16-18)

Paul tells us in these verses that we should 'encourage each other' with the hope that this truth brings. One day Jesus will come back and set everything straight. Life is definitely cruel, unfair, and sometimes horrifying. Yet as Christians we know that it will not always be this way. Jesus weeps over tragedy and will not let it go unaddressed forever. Take some time this week to reflect with gratitude and anticipation that God truly cares and will bring a true remedy to all the evil in the world.

Hands: What you need to do about this truth

This one is pretty simple. America is rich and the majority of the rest of the world is poor. The victims of the tsunami desperately need our thoughts and prayers, but they also need our cash. Unless you are on welfare or homeless, you should donate money to the relief efforts. There are many agencies who are out there helping, but the key is to find one and take action. As well, this tragedy has many people thinking about life, death, and the afterlife. This presents literally a once in a lifetime opportunity to come alongside people and share with them how they can know for sure that they are going to heaven. If you are unsure about how to do this, click on the GOSPEL Journey and get prepared today...you never know when it might be too late!