Katrina: Who's To Blame?

The Blame Game is in full spin mode in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina with everyone blaming someone else. The locals blame the Feds, the Feds fault the locals, the governor blames the mayor, the mayor blames the governor, Bush gets blamed by everyone. Is it racism? Classism? Rich versus poor? Republican versus Democrat? North versus South? Who is to blame?

It's time someone stepped up and admitted their culpability. So let me be the first to say: "I'm to blame. I'm guilty...and so are each of you." Now hear me out - this is not spin but unvarnished truth.

What lies at the root of this disaster is SIN. Not just sins (the racism, the classism, the politicism or a whole range of other vices), but SIN, in big bold letters. SIN as in the disposition of the human heart, SIN as the ultimate source of what is wrong with me, with you and with our world. SIN which is responsible for all the things we do to each other and to God's creation.

In the beginning God created and it was all good. But then man took it upon himself to step outside the bounds of God's gracious law and plunged us into the nightmare we now see played out on our TV screens. Because of SIN, "Cursed is the creation..." (Genesis 3:17)

Because of our continued flagrant violation of God's grace, Romans says: "We know the whole creation has been groaning... right up to the present age." (Romans 8:22) Because of SIN, the natural order has been frustrated and held in bondage to decay. (Romans 8:20-21)

Hurricanes swirl, tornados twist, earthquakes shake, tsunami's surge and a host of other disasters befall us because we are sinners and live in a world of SIN and sins.

So who ultimately is to blame for the suffering in the Gulf Coast - I am, you are, we all are.

The Good News in all of this is that God is making a way for us to be free from the burden of SIN. Indeed through the suffering and death of His Son "Creation waits with eager anticipation for the revelation of God's children...in hope that [it] will be liberated from its bondage to decay and be brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:19,21)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

(Revelation 21:1-5)