”In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
I am sure you recognize Genesis 1:1, the very first verse of the Bible.
The phrase, “And God said…” is repeated throughout the chapter. By the end of the chapter, the creation of the universe is complete. God gazed at his creation and was satisfied, “it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
Most people do not notice, but we call all of nature the universe. “Uni” means one, and the meaning of “verse” is voice. Every time we utter the word “universe,” we acknowledge all this came from “one voice.” By default, we recognize God created it all by speaking it into existence. “And God said…”
God established the seasons (Genesis 8:22). The oceans are in His hand (Psalm 95:4). God causes the lightning to flash (Job 37:15). His hand paints the flowers (Matthew 6:28-30).
As Creator, God put in place the laws of nature. He performs miracles by overriding the laws of nature. Walking on water, the calming of the storm, changing the water into wine, and more are all examples of Jesus’ control over nature’s laws.
We read of instances of God using nature to accomplish His purpose. God allows a tornado to wreak havoc in Job’s life (Job 1:18-19; Job 38). God stopped the earth’s rotation to help Israel win a battle (Joshua 10:12-13). God whips up a hurricane in the Mediterranean to shipwreck Paul (Acts 27:14-44).
God is All-Mighty, and in being so, He established the laws of nature and being All-Mighty; He can override the laws of nature. He will use the natural occurrence of nature for His purposes as well.
We also read of God using nature as a form of punishment. Noah’s flood is the most glaring example. He warns Israel of fires to come if they do not repent. Isaiah 30:27, “Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:”
Are the wildfires out west a judgment from God?
If they are a product of natural occurrence — the dry heat, global warming, whatever — we must remember that God is still in the equation. On one end of the spectrum, God has allowed the fires to start, spread, and continue. On the other end, God is sending the fires as a warning and judgment.
I am not saying the fires are God’s judgment, but since God is in control, we must consider what He may be doing.
Even among Christians, a problem is that people do not ask God about what He is doing. Asking God, “Why?” and “What?” should be part of our daily routine.
We not only have the fires of the western part of the country, but the gulf coast is also experiencing what seems like the “hurricane of the week.” The same questions must be asked, “God what are you doing?” “Dear Lord, why are these things happening?”
Even if these things are the natural course of nature, God is still in control, and we must seek Him for the answers.
How often is God in our thought process? Does He even enter our minds? Do we consider Him our relationships, how we spend our money, what we wear, in our actions, in our heart condition, in our everyday lives? Jesus said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10).
If we are not faithful in seeking God in the small areas of life, how will we seek Him in items of a regional, national, or world-sized scale? Jesus says we will not.
Are the fires out west, the hurricanes of the south, and other natural disasters, the judgment of God, global warming, nothing more than nature taking its course, or, in the case of the fires, evil arsonists?
Our nation faces other perplexing problems — the virus, the riots, the upcoming election, and the list continues.
We may never know the “why” or the “how” or the “what to do” answers of these significant situations until we start considering God in the small areas of life.
