A single event, not man made, that yields a six-figure casualty count must happen but once in a lifetime. The first response to any disaster must always be of compassion, of prayer, and of giving to ensure as much help gets to those who need it as soon as possible.

There is, of course, a secondary reaction. It is the asking of THE question:

'How can a good God allow such a thing to happen?'

It is asked by observers and victims alike. With such an unanswered, or badly answered question do people turn from their faith, shrink further into agnosticism, or strengthen their already atheistic point of view. It's a question that has been asked from the earliest age, and the topic on which many books have been written. It is a very natural question. But it is an arrogant question, and when asking this question the nature of sin is revealed. Therefore a correct treatment of this question should lead to an opportunity to testify your own faith, to share the gospel, and to strengthen the faith of others. I'll try and demonstrate this, but first a prelude:

Four days before that earthquake rocked the sea by Indonesia on December 26th, I published two images - and . The first was on a subject of the perfectness of creation before the fall, and the second on a topic of judgment - which used the words 'great earthquake'. I published them together as I considered them an interesting contrast, and - prudishly perhaps - I did not want image to be on the front page. As the enormity of the event unfolded and as the casualty figures continued to increase I became more and more uneasy with keeping image on the front page. Hence image - words of comfort from Jesus rather than of judgment from Revelation.

I mention this as the three images help tell a story - even through they contrast so greatly with each other, and they (along with some others) help illustrate what I will now try and demonstrate. Consider the following:

Anything good and perfect cannot accept imperfection, else it would no longer be good and perfect. So how does God, who is good and perfect, deal with imperfection? I only see two real options - utterly destroy that which is imperfect, or first see if what is imperfect can be made perfect. The fact that we are here means it is not the former, hence the latter must be in progress.

This then leads to one treatment for THE question: It is an arrogant question as we are imperfect, and who are we to question the goodness of God? God could have had nothing to do with us and have utterly destroyed us. But we are here. Therefore it is for us to be grateful and give thanks to Gods great mercy that we are still alive.

Now I find this approach a little cold, and it certainly does not console nor extend compassion or comfort to one who is suffering. But it does correct a basic framework of understanding for the intellectual observer: in the same way that planets go around the sun and not the earth, the concept of what is good revolves around God, not man. This then, is what I mean when the nature of sin is revealed in the asking of this question - it presumes man is greater than God, that God should serve man. Ultimately we are not qualified to even ask the question because we do not and cannot understand what goodness really is. So we should concern ourselves less with the qualities of God, and instead concern ourselves more with the state of our own relationship with Him.

Here is the Biblical support for this approach. (Note that the book of Job has a lot to say about suffering!):

There is another treatment for THE question that I think is more compassionate and it relates to the imperfect being made perfect. As God has not chosen to utterly destroy us, he is seeking to make perfection out of imperfection. Consider this - Christianity speaks of God becoming a man to suffer and to die for the benefit of mankind. (See also .)

So here is the second treatment to THE question - ask this: Why then did God allow his own Son to suffer and die?

This approach then has two consequences. First it leads to our own personal reunion with God - and our imperfectness being made perfect through Jesus.

Second it leads to the understanding that God is with us in our suffering. Here then is comfort:

Finally I do not presume myself to be qualified to comfort someone who is suffering, because I don't consider myself someone who has suffered anything significant. That makes me an intellectual observer with much to learn. However regarding the events in Asia; this I can do - I can pray, I can give, and - in publishing this page - make my own attempt at turning THE question on its head. As stated at the start I've presented a little of my own faith, I've shared the gospel, and I hope that I have strengthened your own faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John Bell
January 1st 2005
Irvine, California, USA.