Problem of Pain in Haiti Part 1

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate?”I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:1-5 NASB)
For those of you with no TV, radio, internet, daily newspaper, neighbors, or contact with the free world, on January 12th a multitude 7.0 earthquake struck the nation of Haiti killing thousands of men, women, and children from all walks of life. Horrendous carnage, complete property loss, and weeping mark an already destitute population. Hospitals full of the sick, a palace for the ruler, and shanty towns full of desperately poor all suffered similar fates. Flash back to the day after Christmas 2004 and an underwater earthquake projects a tsunami that kills thousands in 13 countries (we have no real idea how many were washed to sea).
Today, with fear and trepidation, I would like to begin a two week series of my thoughts as to why these things happened. Theories abound as to causation for seemingly senseless events. Allow me to start by eliminating a few. Global warming/cooling, acid rain, H1N1, Barack Obama, The New York Yankees, grassy knoll shooters, aliens, terrorists, Republicans/Democrats, illegal immigrants, Big Oil, AIG, Dick Cheney, and ACORN played no part in this tragedy.
Pat Robertson, as is often the case and in typical Shock Jock fashion, offered that God smote Haiti for making a “pact with the Devil”. He pointed at the Hurricane Katrina tragedy as New Orleans’ fault for rampant sin. While I am sorry to fans of Robertson, I must apologize for Pat’s thoughts on behalf of Christendom. Cold, publicity-generating comments such as these do nothing in advancing the Kingdom of God and, if the thousands of venomous comments posted to the news articles outlining Robertson’s comments are any indication, seem to bring tremendous dishonor to the name of Christ.
I, like most throughout time, have considered this question of Theodicy (why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?) often. I confess it is a hard question. Atheists have hammered me “If God is so big, why do children die of cancer?” or “I thought your God was all-loving! I could never love a God that would let these things happen!”. So why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?
Before addressing the answer, I need to fix the question. Psalm 14:3 plainly states “They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.” Romans 3:23 adds “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Worse yet, regardless of the appearance of the target of sin, all sin is directed at God Himself (See Psalm 51:4, many others). The bad things we will address don’t happen to good people. Bad things happen to ungood people...all of us. Summary: We all sin and through our sin, in effect, we are shaking our fist at God. I guess we all kind of “make a pact with the devil” when we sin! This point matters and is the basis for my answer to Theodicy because God is Good.
The Holiness of God demands that all sin be punished. The millions that “get away” with crimes in this world will ultimately, at death, be judged. Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin is death”. Proverbs 17:15 points us to what Paul Washer says should be called “The Great Dilemma” when it says “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.”. How can a Loving, Holy, and Just God NOT punish sin? He can’t let lawbreakers just get away with it or He wouldn’t be just. Please understand, I am not making character judgments about any victim of any event in any way. We are all equally in the same boat here...we are stained with a sin that is, intentionally or not, pointed at God. We all deserve death and judgment. Angels, when they rebelled against God, didn’t get a Savior. They were summarily judged and condemned. Amazingly, God, through His amazing Love, gives us opportunity after opportunity to repent (turn from sin) and believe in order to be saved.
These important things being said, there are only 4 possible reasons for these bad things happening. I will address them each in detail next week. They are:
1. God caused/somehow ordained it.
2. God let the event happen.
3. God was surprised/not in control.
4. Random chance.

Before I conclude, please don’t think I am being flippant about the tragic loss of life. My heart aches with those who lost loved ones. I am left with so many conflicting emotions ranging from wanting to take away pain from people to wanting to fly to Haiti to dig. Please see that, like John 9 or the Luke 13 passage from earlier said, being more sinful than others isn’t the “cause” of these events. Marilyn Manson sings freely. Las Vegas still glows like the sun. The answer isn’t in the magnitude of the sin; it is in the One who the sin is committed against. Pray this week fervently (James 5:16) for Haiti and meet me back here next week to unpack some causes. God is a Loving and Merciful God who answers prayer. He sent His Son to die on a cross as a substitute for all who would repent and believe. Seek Him today while there is time.