Sometimes the world seems to be a bit out of control. Every day we are bombarded by news of natural disasters, shootings, businesses collapsing, road accidents and lots more. Here are some of the stories we have heard over the last while and have really been touched by. May we be aware of what is happening around us, and how the Lord is wanting us, as the Body of Christ to show His love in these potentially desastrous situations. May we be challenged by the stories below. They are simply examples of situations that are around us all the time…

In September, two suicide bombers linked to the Taliban attack the All Saints Church in Peshawar, killing more than 80 people and destroying the historic church. It is the deadliest attack against Christians in Pakistan’s history.

In October, Mozambique’s 1992 Peace Pact Collapses: The Renamo opposition movement announces it is abandoning the 1992 Rome General Peace Accords with the governing FRELIMO party.  Fernando Mazanga, a Renamo spokesperson, says “Peace is over in the country. These events have been a huge worry for us as an organisation. In a few weeks we will be taking a university group to Mozambique for a missions trip.

Also in October, Australia’s New South Wales faced its worst fire emergency in almost 50 years. Dozens of fires broke out across the state. As of October 22, 2013, 60 fires still burned, and 14 of those were described as out of control. Just west of Sydney, two fires merge into one mega fire. Thick smoke reached as far as Sydney’s famous opera house. At least 200 homes were destroyed.

In November, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms, hits several islands in the central Philippines. A coastal city with a population of 220,000 is destroyed.  The Typhoon affected 4.28 million people in at least 270 towns. Electricity and phone services were knocked out in many areas. The death toll reached 4,011. Rescue teams continue to search for the 1,602 people who remain missing. While electricity is still out in some areas, some stores have reopened and residents have started rebuilding their homes.

On Thursday, 5 December, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (Madiba), died at the age of 95. We lost a hero, a symbol of the resilient human spirit and the ability to forgive and restore. Yet the fear remains that his death may release some of the rage he helped to address.

The death of Nelson Mandela will shake South Africa to its core, There will be days of mourning that will probably bring the country together as never before. But what next? Mandela’s mortality will also be a source of bewilderment. Robbed of the founding father who defined its sense of self, South Africa‘s teenage democracy suddenly stands alone. Even as many people may be concerned about our future now that Madiba has past, we do not have to worry or fret, since we know WHO holds the future. We will miss him!

When we hear stories like this, it is so easy to lose hope, and think that God is unaware and does not care; but God is very much in control and He sees and hears the cries of the suffering. Even when the world seems out of control, God has a purpose and a plan for each one of us. A verse that has encouraged us in the past few months is:

Psalm 42: 2, 3 & 5:

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

5 Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Filed Under: News and Stories
Associated Tags: Mandela, Mozambique, Phillipines, World Issues