A Natural Disaster

It certainly seems the longer I live, the fewer answers I have and the more questions I'm asking. Some of the events of the past week have generated no exception to this rule. I have questions...

Some 250,000 people lost their lives in the Myanmar (Burma) Typhoon just under a week ago and just a of couple days ago another 15,000 + (the death toll is still rising and could easily reach 30,000) lost their lives in a 7.9 magnitude earthquake in China. That is nearly 300,000 lives wiped off the face of the planet by two "natural" disasters in a matter of only a few minutes. As I continue watching and listening to news reports of the devastation and the difficulty of getting aid into those areas, I wonder about how "natural" it all this devastation really is.

Perhaps it is the "natural" part I take issue with the most. Of course, we understand the terminology to mean events attributed to "acts of nature" that are beyond human control. Sometimes they are referred to as "acts of God." And while God acting in this manner may awkwardly fit into our theologies (or God allowing these things to occur which has always challenged my understanding -- though I try to accept it with faith) it is another angle of the whole "natural" disaster concept that bothers me most.

Why do we as fellow human beings consider these "natural disasters" to be "natural", until they happen to us? Then, it seems, our consideration changes...

I was conversing with one individual about these two disasters recently and they were not even aware of either one of the above mentioned disasters. When I reacted with alarmed surprise, the person simply cast off my alarm with a shrug and the lite comment, "I don't watch the news too much." Realizing this might be a single isolated case, it still gave me pause to wonder about our understanding of "natural disasters." Something about that particular type of response seems all too "natural" to me. It is just strikingly too "natural" for disasters to be "natural" as long as they aren't in my backyard!

How human beings (especially in this day and age of global communication) can miss this kind of global information is disturbing to begin with. Should we not be even more increasingly aware of the greater world community in which we live? Because of the benefit of global communication, shouldn't we be better informed rather than less? Shouldn't our hearts be more strained by the graphic images of another nation's plight when we can view them in High Definition in our own "media rooms?" Something is wrong when we miss this kind of news and it is "un-natural" to not be moved in some way by it.

I believe that if something of similar magnitude occurred in the USA, we would not hear the end of it for months or maybe even years to come. The world news media would be consumed with the story! As a people, we would likely demand the world recognize that what is a "natural disaster" is quite "un-natural" from our point of view! Perhaps we would demand such attention simply because it happened to us (though I would not endorse such a thing)!

A case in point would be the coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. At least 1,836 people lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina and in the subsequent floods, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane. Katrina was estimated to have been responsible for $81.2 billion in damage, making it the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. To this day, when people speak of Katrina, there is a pall over the conversation. We are still in shock and admittedly scratch our heads over the devastation, but something still feels "un-natural" about it all, doesn't it? That may be because we have trouble dealing with it happening to us. But do we have the same concern for others?

What has struck me the past few days is that the near 300,000 people of Myanmar (Burma) and Sichuan, China who perished in those "natural disasters" are real people with real lives just like the nearly 2,000 people lost in Katrina and some of us don't even know about it! If there is anything that should be "un-natural" about any of these disasters, it should be that! The world is a really big place but we can know about these things!

When I think of what those people must be going through, my heart sickens and my spirit falls.
I believe I once comforted my own mind with the thought of "natural disasters" simply as being "natural." "Well..." I thought to myself, "these things happen. It is a thing of nature." Now... I'm having difficulty taking it so "naturally." Again... I have far more questions than I have answers!

I also used to hide behind the ignorance of these circumstances being in a "land far away." But the global media puts them into our living rooms. How can we "naturally" ignore such a thing?

Though I once reasoned it was an act of "nature" or "God" this time I'm finding less comfort in the thought. I still accept the essence of the disasters as being "natural." But what I am sensing is that my response must become increasingly more "un-natural." For the past days I have found myself feeling quite miserably inept at what I might do to even begin to address the pain the survivors of those two "natural disasters" are experiencing. What can one man do? But I feel something at a deep level that is either "un-natural" for me or perhaps is quite "natural" for all human beings. Again... more questions... what shall I do?

There may be some merit to simply acknowledging another's suffering and praying for their comfort. Yet, I feel there is more that can be done and I'm wondering for a way of expressing it. For now, I continue to pray and allow myself in some microscopic manner to feel "un-natural" about their "natural disaster."

We are one world. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers... each one is special and requires equal concern and care regardless of whether someone else knows about it or not. For now, I simply pray... God bless us, one and all, naturally.

Working At Rest

Recently I’ve concluded that for most of us, rest isn’t easy. While I have fantasies of being reclined in a hammock tied between two palm trees with a gentle ocean breeze blowing across my body after a morning surf session and snacking on some open-fire-baked fresh fish (with a twist of lime squeezed over them) and something cold to drink, that vision is certainly far from my reality. Collapsing on a living room couch after a 12 -15 hour day, slamming a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, falling asleep to ESPN Sportscenter, then awaking to the sense (and smell) of my dog’s breath on my face is much too often closer to my current reality if the truth be told.

It is no secret most North Americans at life speed not too terribly far from “light speed.” Most live “run and gun offense” schedules and get quite defensive when anyone even begins to question or criticize their pace of life. We find a sense of twisted honor in electronic calendars that allow us to book our time into 15 minute (or less) intervals. Scheduling time can be as addictive as the latest popular street drug. There appears to be some certain sadistic satisfaction in "squeezing" someone into our tight schedules.

“Can we get together?” we’re asked. “I don’t know, let me check my schedule,” is the response. It is as if the schedule takes precedent (and is thus more important) than the relationship being sought.

As I think more about it, relationship may be a critical key to rest. The spouse who observes “We never have time for each other,” offers a powerful commentary on the quality of the relationship. As the two drift off to sleep, they know something is missing, but what will they do about it? Truth is, they don't have time for each other because they never make time for each other.

The seventh day of Creation was different from all the others. On the seventh day, the Creator chose to rest from the work of creating. There was an intentional “break in the action” and God rested. Not because He had to (it is difficult to conceive of the Omnipotent needing rest), but because He chose to rest. That day was deemed “blessed” and “holy” (Gen. 2:3) because on that day He rested. There is something “blessed” and “holy” about resting. Making time to take time is likely next to godliness.

The blessings of rest are not merely physical, either. There is something spiritually and emotionally restorative about making time to rest. But I’ve concluded rest isn’t easy. While too often we “rest” (physically) so that we can get back to work, perhaps we need to consider “working so that we can rest.” Maybe that was the whole point of the previous six days of creation? Maybe the Creator was establishing an environment in which He could rest and reside with His creation? The Creator worked Himself into the perfect place to rest! What a great concept!

We work hard at being busy and keeping tight schedules. Observing creation (even after all these years of human use (and abuse) it is clear the Creator worked hard at making everything, but He “worked” it into the opportunity to rest. Rest was significant enough for Him that He called it “blessed” and “holy.” Falling asleep on the couch with the taste of PBJ still in my mouth is likely not the quality of rest I should be seeking.

Well, I’ve got to get back to work, now. But I am resolved to “work harder at resting.” If you can find some time in your schedule, would you like to rest with me? Let's see if we can work it out! I may have some time on Friday...