DISASTERS-WHAT DID JESUS SAY?
Peggy Kannaday
(Luke 13:1-5)
What did Jesus say to do in a time of disaster? There were two disasters that The Lord talked about.
The first one was about those who lost their lives because of Pilate, and also those who lost their lives because the Tower of Siloam fell on them.
Jesus used these two instances, as an opportunity to teach those Galilaens about what their attitude should be in response to these disasters. We are now being faced with one disaster after another, and we need to learn what Jesus taught about the subject.
Jesus was quite clear in saying that those that were killed were not any worse sinners than the people that survived and lived. Jesus was saying to the people that when a terrible catastrophe occurs; it is a warning to all that survive the ordeal.
Jesus not only tells the people that they are no better than the ones that perished, but He goes a step further, and He tells them that they should repent or they also will perish.
When we see the disasters through the news reports; what do we do? First, and foremost; we repent of our own sins, and we turn to God. That is the most important response.
After that, we need to pray, and The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us. Those that have matured in the Lord; the real sons and daughters of God are those who inquire of The Lord before they do anything.
They know that whatever they do; it is of small value unless it is in obedience and anointed by The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will show us how to pray and what to do.
Disasters are being televised in every area of the world today, and our first response is to humble ourselves, pray, seek God and turn from any and all of our own evil ways. It is a warning to us, and we must realize that it is only by the grace of God that we have not perished.
Repentance is a wonderful opportunity to be refreshed, renewed, and revived in The Lord. The Lord went about saying, “Repent for The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”.
Why did Jesus emphasis this point? Because we do not know when our time to die will come, but The Lord Jesus was warning us to always repent in order to be right with Him.
We are never to take our salvation for granted because we are told to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling“, and also that “those who endure to the end will be saved”. We are told to “take heed when we think we stand; lest we fall”, and we are not to think more highly of ourselves than we should.
Presumption is something to be shunned. It is only by the grace of God that we will be saved, and all the works in the world will not usher us into The Throne of God.
Jesus preached repentance all of the time because He loved all of the people, and He didn’t want even one person to perish without eternal salvation with Him. We here in these perilous times need to do the same.
Each new disaster and tragedy is an opportunity for repentance, refreshing, renewal and revival. When we do what Jesus taught us to do first, then we will be greatly effective
in whatever He leads us to do.
Jesus only did what The Father revealed for Him to do, and how much more should we only do as He directs. Let us put The Lord Jesus Christ in His rightful position as The Head and Lord of The Church, which is His Body.
