To my surprise it was about the Christchurch earthquake, I watched the footage of crumbled buildings, rubble, dust and smoke. Immediately I had thought that they were recapping some footage of the earlier earthquake late last year, I was wrong. It was breaking news, Channel One News was to air for the entire day, a new earthquake had hit Christchurch, although slightly smaller on the Richter scale, the epicentre was close enough to deal catastrophic damage to the city, and to the lives of many. 

So I sat there, watching, waiting for more updates. A lady who was pulled out of the rubble, her head dripping with blood, being helped out by her friends as she hobbled away. A chunk of rock the size of a bus, chipped off a nearby mountain, tumbling down and crushing neighbouring houses below it. The central park was transformed to a refuge area to shelter those who had lost their homes in the disaster, many just bringing blankets and sheets, bare necessitation. It rained that night, too. I continued watching, a lifeless body pulled out by a rescue worker.

So I was sitting in the comfort and security of my own home in Auckland, having felt no earthquake in my entire life, I told myself that I couldn't possibly understand what they were going through. Most of my friends are in Auckland, I don't know many people in Christchurch. But as I was soaking in all the news of what was going on down south, I was thrust into a state of discomfort. I didn't know why. I was then reminded again, of the song by Hillsong written by Brooke Fraser, Hosanna. "Break my heart for what breaks Yours, everything I am for Your kingdom's cause."  We are not for ourselves, we are saved to live a self-centred, individualistic existence. There's a reason why donation buckets were set up, there's a reason why many would open their homes to take care of the needy, feed them, clothe them. They care for their fellow brothers and sisters.

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me." As the verse says in Matthew 25.

After observing 2 minutes silence during a talk Dr John Lennox gave, he wrapped up the session by saying a few words which stuck with me, "With all the suffering and hurt in this world, if this were the only place of our existence, God help us all. But there is hope, I believe in kingdom that is coming, a kingdom without this suffering, without this hurt. Even more so, we have a God who is not distant from suffering, but came down to be a part of it." We have a God of compassion. That is the good news. And during this very difficult time in New Zealand's history, this is our opportunity to show our love and care for the people, even through prayer. This is what the good news is all about.

Man's extremity is God's opportunity. May God grant us a heart of compassion, a heart of love towards His people who are hurting. We love you Christchurch.

To my surprise it was about the Christchurch earthquake, I watched the footage of crumbled buildings, rubble, dust and smoke. Immediately I had thought that they were recapping some footage of the earlier earthquake late last year, I was wrong. It was breaking news, Channel One News was to air for the entire day, a new earthquake had hit Christchurch, although slightly smaller on the Richter scale, the epicentre was close enough to deal catastrophic damage to the city, and to the lives of many. 

So I sat there, watching, waiting for more updates. A lady who was pulled out of the rubble, her head dripping with blood, being helped out by her friends as she hobbled away. A chunk of rock the size of a bus, chipped off a nearby mountain, tumbling down and crushing neighbouring houses below it. The central park was transformed to a refuge area to shelter those who had lost their homes in the disaster, many just bringing blankets and sheets, bare necessitation. It rained that night, too. I continued watching, a lifeless body pulled out by a rescue worker.

So I was sitting in the comfort and security of my own home in Auckland, having felt no earthquake in my entire life, I told myself that I couldn't possibly understand what they were going through. Most of my friends are in Auckland, I don't know many people in Christchurch. But as I was soaking in all the news of what was going on down south, I was thrust into a state of discomfort. I didn't know why. I was then reminded again, of the song by Hillsong written by Brooke Fraser, Hosanna. "Break my heart for what breaks Yours, everything I am for Your kingdom's cause."  We are not for ourselves, we are saved to live a self-centred, individualistic existence. There's a reason why donation buckets were set up, there's a reason why many would open their homes to take care of the needy, feed them, clothe them. They care for their fellow brothers and sisters.

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me." As the verse says in Matthew 25.

After observing 2 minutes silence during a talk Dr John Lennox gave, he wrapped up the session by saying a few words which stuck with me, "With all the suffering and hurt in this world, if this were the only place of our existence, God help us all. But there is hope, I believe in kingdom that is coming, a kingdom without this suffering, without this hurt. Even more so, we have a God who is not distant from suffering, but came down to be a part of it." We have a God of compassion. That is the good news. And during this very difficult time in New Zealand's history, this is our opportunity to show our love and care for the people, even through prayer. This is what the good news is all about.

Man's extremity is God's opportunity. May God grant us a heart of compassion, a heart of love towards His people who are hurting. We love you Christchurch.