This was based in part on a recent e-bulletin from Christians at Work.With the recent Haitian earthquake fresh in our minds we asked ourselves whether the Lord causes earthquakes or simply allows them. And in either case, is there some sense in which he is displaying his anger when events like this happen?
I explained that this is a view that I, personally, have never been able to accept. It seems very clear to me that we are living on a battlefield and we should expect bad things to happen from time to time. Yahshua is in us, but the enemy is against us, that much is clear. Earthquakes are a necessary part of the process that builds continents and mountains, without these processes the Earth would have been relatively featureless and an ocean world with perhaps no land at all.
Steph moved us on to consider the fragrant aroma mentioned by Brian Allenby in the e-bulletin...
God is utterly perfect, even handed and above all loving in His outlook upon the world. He wants the best for us. But He also wants us to live a life that is pleasing to Him, to be the fragrant aroma, that we so often read about in our Bibles.We are to be that aroma. However, we can't simply imitate the Lord, if we are to be truly fragrant we must have him within us.
Another aspect Brian Allenby mentions is the need to be humble. He quotes Paul...
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1-4)The Lord does not call us to be strong on his behalf, he calls us in our weakness to allow him to be strong in us and through us.
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