What If? -- Musings on the Tsunami

Thumbing through Isaiah recently I was startled to find this: after a passage (in Isaiah 19) in which the prophet describes horrors that caused the hearts of the Egyptians to "melt within them," he predicts that "the people will turn to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them." The next lines describe how three bitter enemies-Egypt, Assyria, and Israel-will "worship together" and how all three will become "a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, 'Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.'" What a picture!

Like the ancient Egyptians, those who died in Southeast Asia on December 26 (and since then) are in God's hands. But among the living amazing things have happened. Will they last? In Sri Lanka, where a decades-old conflict has killed twice as many people as died in the tsunamis, Tamil Tigers and Sinhalese have joined forces in common relief efforts. So have Hindus and Muslims in India.

The United States has an unprecedented opportunity to embrace Muslims of many nations as the fellow humans they are, not only with disaster relief but with genuine compassion and generosity. The world has been struck; what would happen if we let God heal us? Why can't the miracle described in Isaiah 19 happen today? Why can't forgiveness and peace heal the wounds of today's wars-including the petty wars that fracture so many of our relationships?

What If

What if we grasped the moment that is now (don't ask me when; don't ask me how) and every person on the street became the most important one to meet?

What if the Hindu fishermen (the ones their Muslim neighbors sheltered in a mosque) called on all Indians of whatever faith to end sectarian strife?

What if the Tamil Tigers (who lost so many children in the waves) decided not to send any more child soldiers to fight their Sri Lankan war?

What if in the USA (tell me, why can't it happen today?) the Christians put their weapons away and disarmed their enemies with love?

What if the Laskar mujahedeen (who killed Christians on the Malukus) called on their brothers and sisters worldwide to embrace nonviolence and peace?

Why can't it happen now (while hands are helping and hearts are hurting) that we remove all obstacles to make this and much, much more possible?

Or will our hands and hearts and minds (united now in a common humanity) trade shovels, grief, and generosity for guns and greed and animosity?

What if we grasped the moment that is now (now we know when; now we know how) and not put off what we can do today for tomorrow, when all could be washed away?

You may reprint this article free of charge providing you use the following credit box: Article by Bill Wiser, a member of the Bruderhof - an international communal movement dedicated to a life of simplicity, service, sharing, and nonviolence. (http://www.bruderhof.com/).

---

A Call to Action

Over the last week I have received dozens of heart-rending... Read More

Helping Others - What Did Jesus Say?

Helping others was something Jesus did on a daily basis.... Read More

The Power Source

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized ?in the name of... Read More

How to Handle Negative Feelings When Wronged by Someone Else

How does a Christian really handle negative feelings and emotions... Read More

Judgement Day

For it is written in Matthew 12:36 But I tell... Read More

Crazy in Love

Several years ago my cousin was pleased to find out... Read More

British B. S.

CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE: -MacDari was a Mason but his Masonry deplored... Read More

Living Without Blueprints

Some people look at the biblical book of Revelation as... Read More

Computerized Christians? Get Ready for the New Church!

Isaiah 43;19 declares: "Behold, I will do a new thing,... Read More

The Women Issue

The following message entitled THE WOMAN ISSUE is a study... Read More

The Christmas Victory

As the Chritmas season approaches, I figured it's a good... Read More

The Basics of Salvation Through Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

The one key central message of the entire Bible is... Read More

God And World Religion: The Secret Identity Of ?God? Exposed, Finally...

You may now have this 10,000 year Old "SECRET" that... Read More

What If We Are Getting Paid For Prayer (Salat)...

What will be the effect on general public if the... Read More

Christian Universalism, Calvinism, and Arminianism: Where Do You Fit In?

All of the various denominations of professing Christians may be... Read More

The Toilet Philosophy

Dr. Robins' observations are beyond mere intuition, they include an... Read More

Miracle Worker

The power of the Holy Spirit is so profound it... Read More

Is Your Life Significant?

"I also say to you that you are Peter, and... Read More

Christians versus Mormons

Please read the passage carefully and note all the pejorative... Read More

The 7 Trumpet Judgments

This article will deal with the next set of judgments... Read More

Fruit-Bearing Christians

This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much... Read More

Keep on Singing

The prisoners of Sing Sing, one of the most repressive,... Read More

Planetary Alignment

Planetary Alignment is said to have magical powers. Some believe... Read More

Mindset - Being Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind

The Bible tells us that one of the main goals... Read More

What Does The Religious Right Really Want?

What does the Religious Right really want? Well, besides power,... Read More

The Need for Biblically Minded Engineers

There is a great need in the world today for... Read More

A Common Sense Approach to Religious Freedom

Down through the centuries and all over the world, the... Read More

The Rapture: A Twinkling of an Eye

A father savagely murders his nine children. A stay at... Read More

Church Building and Church Buildings

Church building is a term used to designate both the... Read More

Josephs Life?a Series of Coincidences

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the... Read More

Death of an American,The Death of Decency

John 16:2-3:16The Death of an American, The Death of Decency.... Read More

Bishoprics

BISHOP OF CARCASSONNE: - There are so many exemplars of... Read More

Killing Red Heads

"With regard to the ancient Egyptians we have it on... Read More