Daily Direction Reading PlanSample

According to experts, over a million earthquakes take place each year. Many are very small and are located in remote places. The deadliest earthquake was in 1556 when 830,000 people died in China. In 2004, 276,000 people died in earthquakes worldwide. Such extensive loss of life causes many people to ask, “Why does God allow so many people to die this way?” I wish I had the answer to such a perplexing question, but what we do have are the statements in Scripture that God controls all that happens—both in history and around the world. We read these words from God recorded in Isaiah 44: “I created the universe.” “I control history.” “I fulfill the predictions of my prophets.” “I predict the future.” “I create light and make darkness.” “I bring good times and bad.” God says, “I do all these things to show people from east to west that I alone am God.” In addition to these strong statements, we learn later in Scripture how God became human in the person of Jesus Christ. He taught and performed astounding miracles. He died and rose again. Today, He intercedes for us before God His Father in heaven. No, we cannot explain why God permits extensive loss of life. Until then, we are willing to trust His wisdom and goodness, which has never failed.