Acts of God?

A fellow evangelist I know used to be employed by the U. S. Postal Service. I heard him talk about a time when a massive winter storm prevented coworkers from showing up on the job. Some of them were atheists but still marked “an act of God” on a form as their reason for missing work so they could get paid. One dictionary defines act of God as “an instance of uncontrollable natural forces in operation (often used in insurance claims).” 

Many people who won’t live for God still blame Him for disasters such as tornadoes and floods. Obviously, the Lord has some control over the weather. Jesus said in Matthew 5:45, “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” However, I don’t believe killer storms are “acts of God.” Keep in mind we live in a fallen world largely ruled by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4) who comes to “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” Jesus came to give us life and “have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Self-appointed prophets have labelled the recent hurricanes hitting the U. S. “divine judgments.” You think God would allow His judgments to be predicted by weathermen and warn people to flee? That would mean judgment is upon those without the means to evacuate. Also Jesus rebuked a storm at sea. If the storm was from God, wouldn’t Jesus be going against His Father's work? I personally know people who saw storms disappear after speaking to them.

Sometimes Christians have to go through difficulties because of bad decisions made by people above us. One example in Scripture is the Apostle Paul getting shipwrecked in Acts 27 despite warning the ship’s authorities of pending danger. In recent years, storms often resulted when the U. S. Government enacted unfavorable foreign policy toward Israel. Then again, when the ten plagues in Exodus afflicted the Egyptians, God kept His people safe.

Natural disasters are from the enemy…not “acts of God.” So until these current storms pass, I'm praying nonbelievers affected by them will realize there are more important things than their earthly possessions. That's their eternal destinies!

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." - John 3:17