A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE

 

Last Monday, February 7, the earth shifted. There was a serious earthquake that hit the countries of Turkey and Syria. The estimates of the dead are at 11,000 persons.

 

Now, what goes through our minds as Christian   people?

 

If you listen to the concerns of the ordinary Christian believer there is real concern and empathy. We do not experience earth quakes in our part of the globe but there is a feeling of solidarity with the many ordinary people who have lost loved ones, homes, buildings and social structures such as hospitals. We grasp to understand the pain and devastation that such an earthquake can cause. 

 

When people actually embrace God (given to us in revelation), they begin to share the strong concerns within the heart of God. All creation is an expression of the love of God.  Every bug, every tree and stone is a gift from the creative hand of God. God rejoices in the gift of creation. We may be a distance away from appreciating creation as God does, but we are learning to rejoice with the creating God as he/she looked at each piece of creation and rejoiced, “It is good.”

 

The believer moves to the creation of human beings. This part of creation is unbelievably good and challenging. Human-creation stretches each and every human being. God looks at the creation of woman and man. Human beings are created in the image of God. Human beings reflect the very goodness of God. 

 

Now, human beings have not always lived up to their value. We make wars. We give an incredible amount of energy and money in developing more powerful bombs and missiles. We have enough atomic power that we can even destroy all humanity.

 

This is very frightening.

 

But now I listen to uncomplicated believers. They watch the devastation in Turkey. This is not passive. There are real feelings of compassion and the feeling that I want to help these suffering people.

 

Are these positive feelings arising from an ordinary human being? Or do these feelings arise from a deeper source within the human soul? Do these feelings of compassion arise from the Holy Spirit?

 

People are reluctant to name these feelings of empathy for hundreds of unnamed strangers as coming from the very spirit of God. Could the Holy Spirit be working in my life in such a strong and visceral way? 

 

When we proclaim that we believe in the Holy Spirit I hope we are recognizing that the Holy Spirit is alive and working within humanity and within our individual lives. This Holy Spirit is not some nice decoration in our songs but is the vibrant force of God working and moving throughout humanity. The Holy Spirit works within you, even when you stubbornly resist the movement of the Holy Spirit.

 

This is why I rejoice when I listen to the concerns expressed by my fellow believers over the suffering people in Turkey and Syria. When the earth shakes, the Holy Spirit is shaking our hearts and emotions.

 

How great it is to believe and breathe in the Holy Spirit.