When will it all end?

For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. 1 Peter 4:17-19

The east coast is breathing a collective sigh of relief as Hurricane Maria has followed the projected course out to sea. It’s just grazing the North Carolina coast today. This is a moment for emergency planners and weather watchers to pause and reflect on the national trauma of the past month.

First there was Hurricane Harvey which devastated the Texas coast. Then Irma marched through the Caribbean islands and Florida. Now it’s Maria, which destroyed Dominica and Puerto Rico last week. Lost in the news, Mexico was hit by two major earthquakes with hund­reds dead. In the past month we have witnessed genuine suffering by real people. It’s not a video game. The suffering is real. When will it all end?

The pictures tell an unbelievable story. Those on the scene in the Caribbean have described the hurricanes’ impact as comparable to a nuclear bomb. Puerto Rico is still in major distress as airports have been slow to reopen and necessities are barely trickling in. People are dying.

Some religious commentators have attributed the hurricanes to God’s judgment for national sins. When they say that, they often name two or three behaviors which they believe have provoked God’s wrath. It’s interesting that those who say such things never name sins in which they are personally indulging. For some reason we seem to believe God’s wrath is drawn to other people’s sin, but not our own. Others get God’s judgment, but we receive God’s grace. How is that good news?

In contrast, the Apostle Peter wrote that God’s judgment will begin with the church rather than the world. I don’t think God is hurling hurricanes at us in judgment of national sins. But he does want everyone to recognize the gravity of our situation. We are broken people with broken hearts who live in a broken world. We need a Savior who will deliver us, not only from hurricanes and earthquakes, but also from ourselves and our sin.

God wants us to cast ourselves upon his mercy and grace. We won’t do that until we face our brokenness. Somehow hurricanes and earthquakes help us see our true spiritual condition. I believe God wants to redeem our nation, not judge us. When will it all begin?

Uncle Bob

My Uncle Bob died yesterday in Ohio at the age of 88. I had four uncles but he was the only one I knew well. He was the last uncle standing, so I’m now uncle-less. It’s a genuine loss.

Everyone should have an Uncle Bob. He was a gentle, soft-spoken man of clear and genuine faith in Jesus. I never heard him say a cross or unkind word about anyone, even with easy targets like celebrities, politicians, and TV preachers. I never saw him get angry, even when I put a baseball through a front-door window at his house.

I was shagging fly balls that day in Uncle Bob’s (small) front yard. I had guessed I could aim closer to the house without reaching it. I’m not a power hitter, so it seemed safe. Not quite. After the crash, my mother was the first person out the door. She saw all us kids, but I was the one with the red face holding the bat. It was probably the only home run I ever hit in my life. I think she was swinging before she got to me. Spank first. Ask questions later. I never saw what happened to the rest of the kids.

No matter. I deserved the spanking. It probably helped me that my grandfather installed windows for a living. He ended up with an extra service call that day. But Uncle Bob never said a word to me about it. He just didn’t get angry. I was around him enough to know what he was really like. People often say nice things about the deceased at funerals. But in this case, it’s really true.

Uncle Bob encouraged me in my preaching, even when I was a youth, and was always interested in my ministry. Last month Carol and I stopped in to see my aunt and uncle at the end of our Ohio trip. Uncle Bob slipped $100 in my pocket. He had cancer and knew it didn’t look good, although a month ago they were still treating it aggressively and hoping for recovery.

We agreed it could be the last time we might see one another on this earth and rejoiced in the promise of eternal life in Jesus. I reminded Uncle Bob that we already knew how this would end. We just didn’t know when. He would eventually die even if God extended his life now. He agreed and said he had only one wish. He hoped when his time came, he would go quickly.

God answered that prayer. Uncle Bob declined quickly and was in hospice only five days before passing away yesterday morning at home with his wife and son beside him. He left behind a widow of strong faith who will follow him to heaven some day, three children of faith who will follow him some day, and six grandchildren–all of strong faith–who also will follow him some day.

Don’t you wish you had an Uncle Bob like that?