13 May, 2008
Tragedy in Myanmar
UN chief slams Myanmar junta for slow response
85% of the people in Myanmar are Buddhists
UNITED NATIONS - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticized Myanmar's military junta Monday for what he called its "unacceptably slow response" to helping cyclone victims.
Three of the U.N. Security Council's five veto-wielding members — France, Britain and the United States — remain interested in possible action to require Myanmar's government to open its doors to more aid, U.S. and other council diplomats said.
There has been no agreement on proposed wording for a statement or resolution, but U.S. officials say their aim is to craft language saying authorities in Myanmar must do everything possible to accept international help.
A previous such effort last week was temporarily set aside after Myanmar began taking steps to let in a few flights and aid shipments.
Nearly 32,000 people were killed by the cyclone and almost 30,000 others are still missing after the May 3 cyclone, Myanmar state television reported Monday. Almost all foreign relief workers have been barred entry into the isolated nation. The junta says it wants to hand out all donated supplies on its own.
"I want to register my deep concern — and immense frustration — at the unacceptably slow response to this grave humanitarian crisis," Ban said.
"Unless more aid gets into the country — very quickly — we face an outbreak of infectious diseases that could dwarf today's crisis," he said. "I therefore call, in the most strenuous terms, on the government of Myanmar to put its people's lives first. It must do all that it can to prevent this disaster from becoming even more serious."
photo courtesy ap & story news.yahoo.com, 5/12/08
Matthew 10:29-31
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Revelation 21:26-27
26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. (ESV)
This past week, the cyclone and flooding tragedy in Myanmar reminded us that people around the world are in dire need. The greatest tragedy in Myanmar is that 85% of these beautiful people are Buddhists, meaning that they are without Jesus Christ as their Savior.
This is very sobering, because it reminds those of us who know the only living God, through Jesus, His Son, that there is an eternal aspect to this tragedy.
How does today's God's Story scripture relate to the tragedy in Myanmar?
First of all, remember that though many of the dead have not been identified, they are known to God.
Jesus said in today's Matthew scripture that God is aware of everything that happens, even the details in the life of a sparrow. We are far more precious than small birds to God, so He grieves over the deaths of those killed in Myanmar and He has compassion for their loved ones.
Another reality that should break our hearts is that those who died without Christ as Savior will never experience eternal life in Heaven. Revelation 21 makes it very clear that "only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" will enter Heaven.
This means that the majority of those killed (Buddhists) will spend eternity apart from the loving, forgiving God. Sadly, most of the victims were depending on their false god rather than Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Savior of the world.
As followers of Jesus, we should remember this spiritual reality and the human condition....
- Thank God that He is in control. Praise Him for His grace which makes salvation through Christ alone possible. Thank Him for recording your name in the Lamb's Book of Life forever! Ask His Spirit to use the disaster in Myanmar to bring people who follow false religions to Jesus Christ.
- Do a little personal evaluation of your trust in God when the storms of life overwhelm you. Do you continue to trust God, no matter what?
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray that the government in Myanmar will allow relief agencies from around the world to be able to help the thousands of homeless in Myanmar. Pray that the Good News of Jesus Christ will become known to the people who were affected by the storm.
- No doubt, you know followers of false religions at your school or where you work. Pray for opportunities to learn their stories and connect them to your story and God's Story.
- Look for ways to help those affected by this tragedy. You will be spreading the love of Christ. You may read or hear of relief agencies that will help Myanmar.
- Use the media coverage of the tragedy in Myanmar to start a conversation with those in your storysphere about how God's Story connects with tragedy in our world today. Ask those you are trying to reach for Christ what they believe God's view on disasters might be? Remember to focus on learning their story rather than "dumping a sermon" on them. Remember that we don't have all the answers, but we know the One who does, even if we won't understand everything until we get to Heaven.
- July 2008 [17]
- June 2008 [13]
- May 2008 [20]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [19]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [19]
- November 2007 [17]
- October 2007 [20]
- September 2007 [19]
- August 2007 [18]
- July 2007 [13]
- June 2007 [11]
- May 2007 [14]
- April 2007 [11]
- March 2007 [12]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [5]
- November 2006 [14]
- October 2006 [18]
- September 2006 [12]
- August 2006 [17]
- July 2006 [11]
- June 2006 [4]
