Greg Hobbs, Denver columnist, asked in a Denver Post article, “Why do people rebuild after natural disasters?” Hurricanes destroy homes, wildfires burn businesses and floods ruin communities. But when you ask disaster survivors what they plan to do, nearly all will say, “We will rebuild again.”
Why? Knowing another hurricane will come to tear down, or a wildfire will burn a future home, or a flood will come again, why do people continue to build in such places? Dobbs asked asked a southern storm survivor who’d lost homes in three hurricanes, why he planned rebuild again. Instead of giving him reasons, the man asked, “Where are you from?” “Originally San Francisco,” Dobbs said. “Don’t they have earthquakes there?” “Yes, but I live in Colorado now,” Dobbs said. “Don’t y’all have wild fires in Colorado?” said the man. Yes, Dobbs told him, in 2012 and 2013 Colorado lost over a thousand homes to forest fires, and most of them rebuilt their homes again.
Communities along the Mississippi are destroyed by floods, but they rebuild again. People from Oklahoma and Kansas see homes and towns torn apart by tornadoes, but they, too, rebuild. Colorado has had enormous hailstorms destroy homes, autos and buildings, but people still rebuild and drive cars there. Dobbs concluded his article, “If one doesn’t get you, another might.”
Why do we rebuild in those places again? My Dad once told me a humorous story that ended, “Everyone has to be somewhere.” So simple, yet so true. With seven billion people on our planet, everyone has to be somewhere, and there is no place without some danger.
I’ve got some bad news: Humans are responsible for all these disasters. Yup, it’s all our fault, but not for the reasons climate alarmists would have us believe.
The original perfection of our world has been messed up by sin. Genesis chapter three tells us God cursed the ground because of mankind’s rebellion. Because of our sin, individually and corporately, we people have pain and suffering, no matter where we live. Thorns and thistles, work and sweat, pain of childbirth and families, all will be the lot of mankind until we return to the dust from which we were taken. That’s the reason for the disasters, not plastic or coal or carbon dioxide.
But there is good news. God has promised us not only forgiveness, but also a new heaven and a new earth in the future, where “God’s dwelling place is among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)
Meanwhile, we live and rebuild and do our best to find joy in the life God has given us. The new heavens and new earth will come because of God’s goodness in Jesus Christ. He will one day give His followers a more perfect existence. I don’t know about you, but I look forward to that day with great hope!
May God protect and defend all who face disaster, and bring them new life and hope!
Rev. Bob Tasler (www.bobtasler.com)
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