by Bishop Judith Craig
To ask about God's presence in the face of the tsunami that struck Asia and Africa is to ask a good question. It is not a 'why' question but a 'where' question. We are long past the time when we think natural occurrences are the direct act of God ? whether they are apparent interventions that spare us from harm, for which we give thanks, or disasters like the tsunami that cause inexpressible sorrow and loss. We know such events are the result of the physics and forces of a natural world where shifts of tectonic plates cause the earth to tremble, and in this case, huge waves to cross the ocean's surface and crash into land. Did God do this? Certainly not. The universe is orderly, even in its disorder, with the laws of its nature being the gbwc_superuserelines for its behavior. 
Mike DuBose/UMNS | | Victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami wait in line to take a shower at temporary facilities in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. |
No, we would be na?ve and ignorant of natural forces to blame God for this tragedy.
But asking the 'where' question puts us on an avenue to the heart of God. For God is surely in the midst of all that has occurred, watching the devastation of those made in God's image and surely reaching out in the energy of Godly love that surpasses all other sources of hope. God is in this event ? in the tears of those who mourn, in the joy of those who survived, in the numbness of those who wonder about the future, in the anguish of those who try to get through each day. God surely is in this event in the hands and feet of those who carry the stuff of relief ? medicine, food, shelter. God is in this event in the presence of those who work to clear away rubble and gently care for the bodies found and over which they weep. God is in this event in the touch of healers and the listening of counselors, and in the prayers of religious people of all faiths. God is in this event in the prayers and generous outpouring of financial giving and networking of relief agencies through councils of churches and private associations that turn the money into the good necessary for life and health and hope. God is in the midst of this event in more ways than we can imagine. It is very important to ask the right question. The 'why' question is imponderable, and it is as old as human kind. An answer that blames God rises out of a culture and time that did not know all that we know about how the natural world operates. It is now a scientific question, not a faith question. The faith question is the 'where' question, recognizing that nothing in all creation ? not even a tsunami ? can separate the created order and all human creation from the love of its Creator. And so I pray: Loving, grieving, present God, wrap your eternal arms around your precious globe called earth and hold tenderly all who tremble in the aftermath of the tsunami. Let your children of all ages, races and beliefs know of your presence. Keep our hearts tender and our souls generous as we remember that surely as you note the fall of a sparrow, you have noted the perishing of each person made in your image and have gently noted and cared for their beings as only you can. Remove from our thoughts all judgment or smugness or pride of religion or place, that we may offer the healing energy of our prayerful love for those who struggle to rebuild their lives in safety and with hope. Thank you for those who labor with those who live, and for the human structures that make possible the binding together of those who give in one distant place and those who receive in another. Bishop Judith Craig is a retired bishop in The United Methodist Church. | 
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