Anak Krakatoa - Dec 2018

I recall a movie made years ago about the day Krakatoa erupted. It was a fairly low budget movie if I remember right. The island chief's young daughter finally stopped it by offering her body to the fire god in the volcano. Of course it was a movie about idyllic life and puerile romance interrupted by mass hysteria and people in despair. Then when the fire god was placated by her willing sacrifice, the people were sad, but relieved and she became a legend as their beautiful peaceful existence was restored. The movie didn't end with Krakatoa sinking into the sea which of course would kill all the people on the island anyway.

Anak Krakatoa has erupted! Many have died in Sumatra and Java from it's tsunami which moved quickly but remained small because of the shallowness of the water. To the hundreds who where injured or lost people to the tsunami, it didn't matter that it was a smaller wave. It approached quickly, without warning on a holiday crowded beach and killed and destroyed people. No teary noble sacrifice scenes, just pain, fear and destruction.

Questions of why?? Our world is convulsing because of the fallen state of man who was left in charge. We continue unwise practices, but I believe our earth is writhing for its creator to be given back the rule and set things right. There is likely not to be a movie. God did demand a human sacrifice for redemption, and restoration but that was accomplished once by the death of his son at the hands of angry irrational mankind.

I don't believe God is doing these things. I believe they are the result of a fallen world without understanding. God did not bring death, sin did. Grace covers sin. In the end, grace wins out, but until then man will go on misunderstanding and mismanaging. For now Grace is a personal solution brought active by faith and trust.

This season we should be reminded by God's perfect act of grace to speak grace to our world and pray deliverance for others in distress. The son has already submitted willingly to be the sacrifice for our healing.