The Haiti Earthquake - Why help Idolaters ?

After reading this question sent in by a viewer, and having subsequently listened to the sermon by Tony Pearce, I would like to respond with this blog.

Very shortly after the earthquake, a talk was available from audio sermons.com given by an American lady who was there at the time. Having been born in Haiti to American parents who had lived there on Mission for many years, she spends her time partly in America and partly in Haiti, continuing in mission work. After giving a very full account of what she had witnessed during the earthquake and aftershock, her resume is, I believe, a powerful one.

The lady stated that Haiti has been evangelised over the years probably more than any other place on earth. There were faithful ministers there and good Gospel teaching, but always in general there has been resistance - it was a case of ‘oh - well perhaps tomorrow’. However, on the evening of the earthquake, prayer meetings could be heard all around as terror set in, and for the first time ever on that evening and the following evening, the voodoo drums were silent. Indeed, at least one of the witchdoctors converted to the Christian faith. Clearly it was a severe wake up call, not just for Haiti, but for the world. Yes, Almighty God brings His judgement - that is His prerogative and we shall be and are judged by Him, nevertheless Our Lord, Jesus Christ, does not tell us to judge others, but rather :- ‘If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing’ (1 Cor.13. .2-3 NIV) ‘And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’ (v.13) That is why I believe it is right, after such devastation, for people to go in and witness with practical help and prayer for a turning round. Amazingly, the ‘Listen for the week‘ circulated by audio sermons.com, was a very stirring sermon given by Dr Ian Paisley, “Revival, possible and actual‘ in which he refers to the resistance of man to God’s Will when such resistance brings so much pain and heartache. Hearts need to be brought to life, not only among those Jews who continue to find themselves unable to accept that the Messiah came, but to congregations who want it all to be happy-clappy and balloons at a party, when clearly the Blood comes before the Lamb. Yes, the Joy is there for all, when we truly repent of past sins, are set free and remain free and hold to that wonderful Biblical concept of Love, first for God and then for one another. . I must add one very important point made by the Missionary in Haiti - it is important that all Believers there really work together and stop supporting and thereby encouraging corruption. That surely has to be a lesson to have come out of this disaster.

I do not have Tony Pearce’s scholarly expertise, but like him, I hold to the pre-millennial view, but I also believe that the Holy Spirit is working now to prepare the Way - not necessarily through The Church,(as it is formally known) but through God’s people everywhere who are awake and hearing, and are alert for the opportunities to serve. Why should the Messiah come again to pick up the mess that you, me, all of us have made ? He was so brutally crucified once, what more do we ask of Him ? Surely with the guidance of the Holy Spirit given to us to strengthen us in our walk, and in humility and honesty we must make some effort ourselves to make our paths straight and take personal responsibility to persevere to the end. How blessed will be the generation that lives to see His return to reign on earth in peace and justice. . At my advanced age I don’t really expect to see it - but yet I hope - things are moving apace ! God hardens those hearts He chooses to harden, and softens those He wants to soften - we are but tools in His hand. .Let us not repeat the mistake of having such a pre-determined idea about what is to come that we ‘miss the boat’ as the Jews did the first time round, leading to crucifixion by Gentile soldiers. . We were all complicit then, we are all complicit today and only Jesus Christ is perfect. It cannot be ‘My Way’ - it has to be His Way which is the Way of love and obedience. !

In Our Lord,

Mustard seed