Swine Flu and Earthquakes
Some things make me nervous, I'll admit it. But few things (or maybe nothing) can really scare me anymore. Being truly scared, or staying that way, might imply a lack of faith in our God. Still, there's nothing like being nervous to test your faith.
When the swine flu was first announced and Mexico was making world headlines, we found ourselves less than 100 miles away from the "epicenter" of the outbreak. People were dying, and we were being told that humans had no immunity. Mexico took drastic measures closing schools and non-essential businesses nationwide. Our city of Puebla seemed eerily like a ghost town as most were afraid to venture out. Those who did wore surgical masks, a visible reminder that anyone could be contagious. It seemed only a matter of time before we all got a potentially deadly case of the flu.
Yet, other than taking common sense precautions, there was nothing we could do! No medicine, no vaccination, no chance of getting away from the disease. All we could do was trust in our God, that He would watch over us and be with us, even if we got sick. Were we nervous? Of course. Were we scared? Not really.
Just when it was looking like the swine flu was calming down and that it wasn't quite as deadly as was feared, our world was rocked again. Literally! On May 22 we found ourselves again at the epicenter, this time of a 5.7 magnitude earthquake. I felt the kitchen table shake back and forth and it was like someone bumped hard into the back of my chair, only no one was there. It was an eerie feeling, one I don't really like (this wasn't my first earthquake in Latin America). Like the swine flu, this earthquake turned out to be relatively benign. No damage was done, and Susie didn't even feel it as she was walking across the living room.
But I can't help thinking about these kinds of things: swine flu and earthquakes. Our block house with poured cement floors, ceilings and roof would be an instant death trap in a serious earthquake. The swine flu could easily have been as bad or worse than was feared. We went through both totally unscathed, by God's grace and mercy.
One thing God has taught in our years as missionaries is that there is no better, safer or happier place to live in the whole world than in the center of His will. It certainly doesn't mean we'll always be 100% trouble-free, or even free of swine flu and earthquakes. No place is 100% safe anyway. But I'd much rather die where God wants me than live outside His will. The best thing we can do for ourselves and even for our children is live in total obedience to our God.
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:17-18 (italics added)
