When tragedy strikes, it should compel us to think about eternity. In today’s devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef discusses what Jesus said in the face of tragedy.
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[00:00:00] You are listening to My Devotional, the Daily Devotional from Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading
[00:00:06] The Way.
[00:00:08] What would Jesus say by Dr. Michael Youssef?
[00:00:13] When tragedy strikes, it should compel us to think about eternity.
[00:00:18] Whenever a tragedy takes place, the people lose their lives unexpectedly.
[00:00:22] The same old questions pop up.
[00:00:24] Where is God in all of this?
[00:00:26] How can a loving, merciful God allow the loss of life?
[00:00:29] Why didn't He, the all-knowing God, stop this from happening?
[00:00:34] If God is not all-powerful, why should we worship Him?
[00:00:38] In Luke 13, Jesus addressed two specific events that were on the people's minds in
[00:00:43] the crowd.
[00:00:44] First, there was the murder of some Galilean Jews who had come to Jerusalem to worship
[00:00:49] at the temple.
[00:00:50] The second event was a natural disaster.
[00:00:53] A tower in Jerusalem had fallen unexpectedly and when it came down, it crushed 18 people
[00:00:59] who were standing nearby.
[00:01:01] Two very different tragedies, but with the same result, many people died suddenly.
[00:01:08] The people in Jesus' day had come to the terrible and misguided conclusion that the
[00:01:13] men and women who died must have been guilty of some great sin.
[00:01:17] Jesus had heard what the people were saying and he decided to set the record straight.
[00:01:22] Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans
[00:01:26] because they suffered this way?
[00:01:28] Or those 18 who died when the tower fell?
[00:01:31] Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?
[00:01:35] I tell you, no.
[00:01:37] But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
[00:01:42] I believe Jesus would tell us to take the tragedies we have experienced as God's
[00:01:46] warning.
[00:01:47] He would tell us that God's judgment is coming upon all who refuse to believe
[00:01:51] in Him, all those who will not repent of their sins and turn to the Son of God for
[00:01:57] forgiveness.
[00:01:58] On that day, the suffering of those apart from Christ will be more tragic, more
[00:02:04] severe, and it will be without end.
[00:02:08] Of course, God did not abandon His people to judgment.
[00:02:11] He provided a way of escape, one still available to everyone today.
[00:02:16] But who wants to have power over sin, suffering and death can come to Jesus and receive grace,
[00:02:23] not just for this lifetime but forever and ever in heaven with Jesus.
[00:02:29] Let's pray together.
[00:02:30] Father, when tragedies arise, help us to turn to You and remember You promised never
[00:02:37] to forsake us.
[00:02:39] Thank You for Your loving kindness toward us.
[00:02:41] We know goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.
[00:02:46] May we honor You with our trust.
[00:02:49] We pray this in the name of Jesus.
[00:02:51] Amen.
[00:02:53] To take a deeper dive into today's devotional topic, check the show notes for links to additional
[00:02:58] resources.
[00:02:59] And while you're there, subscribe to the My Devotional podcast so you never miss an
[00:03:05] episode.
[00:03:07] My Devotional is a ministry of leading the way with Dr. Michael Yusef.
[00:03:11] To learn more, visit LTW.org today.