It’s been a tough year for British Columbia, Canada. It’s been a tough year pretty much everywhere, and lots of places in the world have faced much more difficulty than BC has faced, but 2021 in this part of the world could be described by the word, “disaster”.
In late June and early July BC faced what was called a “heat dome”. More lives were lost as a result of that weather event than from any other in Canadian history. In recent days BC has has faced unprecedented amounts of rain (even for this part of the world) and landslides and flooding and the severing of major highways that have left some communities cut off from supplies. Vancouver has been cut off from the rest of Canada by road (one highway has been partially opened for essential vehicles only).
Flood waters cover highway 1 in Abbotsford, BC Tuesday Nov 16, 2021 THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Disaster is not a word that any of us want associated with our lives. How we make sense of disaster has a lot to say about our worldview and our faith.
When you read the following verses, what do you think?
Psalm 91:9,10
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
This is the Psalm in which it is also stated that though thousands may fall at your side, plague and pestilence will not touch you.
There is a distortion of Christian faith referred to as the prosperity gospel that uses verses like these to declare that Christians ought to expect, claim, even demand that God ensure heath and wealth for the faithful. One of the giveaways that the prosperity gospel is a fraud and a scam is that the people who get rich off of it are the ones declaring it, and they get rich with the money of the followers who are prompted to prove their faith by giving to the preachers and leaders. When disaster is encountered, it is presented as only an obstacle and a test of faith. If disaster or loss is lasting, then often the purveyors of the so called “gospel” blame the one who is suffering as not demonstrating enough faith, or they simply part company with the one who is suffering.
We have learned, those of us who had been insulated from the reality of suffering and loss, that no one in this world is immune from suffering. We are not as strong as we often think that we are. This brings to mind a story told by Jesus about a man who pretty much thought that he had it made. The man had made a lot of money and had a whole lot of stuff. He sat back and surveyed his property. He foresaw that if he was to have any struggle in life it would be to store all of his wealth and so he came up with a plan for “bigger barns”. Jesus calls the man foolish and says that disaster might strike and wipe away all of the barns.
The prosperity gospel is big right now. People like to be told from voices to which they have granted authority that everything will always be okay. 2021 in BC has shown what was always true, sometimes things are not okay. Sometimes disaster strikes and disaster can mean real and lasting and devastating loss.
Hopeful Christian theology does not claim that disaster will never strike. Real hope is much deeper than a blanket promise that you will never suffer. We long for a hope in the midst of suffering, or in the shadow of loss. What does it mean that God is with us, even when all seems lost?
In the case of the weather disaster that happened near this part of the world this past week, I saw a glimpse of such hope. Jen and I were watching the evening news the night after the worst of the storm. The main story was about people who had been trapped in their cars on a highway. There had been a landslide ahead of then and a landslide behind them and there was no way for them to get out of the mountainous terrain. Close to 300 people spent an entire day and night in this situation, fearing that another landslide might occur and take them with it. The news story included video of a military helicopter rescuing the people the next day, taking a number at a time and moving them to safety. They were dropped off at a local school that had been turned into a shelter and members of the small community had shown up with donations of food, clothing and other items to help out. One man who had been trapped along with his family on the highway asked, when he got out of the helicopter, if he could donate some money. He was overwhelmed by the care and generosity of so many volunteers.
He was told that no money was needed. His role was simply to receive help.
There is a well known saying that I heard for the first time just over a year ago. It is saying that sounds like it comes from another time (and until recently another place).
I think that the first time I heard it was from Joe Biden who was running for president at the time. The saying is this;
“If the Good Lord’s willing and if the creek don’t rise.”
Prayers of comfort and strength for all of those who have been impacted by disaster. Prayers of blessing and strength for all of those who have given time, energy and resources to help out.
May our hopeful faith be mature enough to recognize the reality of disaster and loss in this world.
The prosperity gospel may be big right now, but it's certainly not evangelical. Johnny Cash on the other hand . . . https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/february-web-only/billy-graham-and-johnny-cash-unlikely-friendship.html