God’s Ways & God’s Acts

Things like earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, and all sorts of other similar events beyond man’s control have historically been referred to as ‘acts of God,’ although I have noticed that in recent years it is more common to refer to them as ‘acts of nature.’ Whether the change is indicative of a desire to remove God from the picture so as not to offend atheists, or whether it is motivated by a desire to protect God against being blamed for such terrible things, I am not sure. Perhaps it’s a bit of both.

Scripture is clear that such things are indeed the acts of a sovereign God. In Psalm 148:8 we read of “lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding.” And Psalm 135:6 affirms, “The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.” Does this mean that the massive earthquake off the coast of Japan last Friday, and the resultant tsunami, was ultimately of God’s doing? Yes! It was indeed an ‘act of God.’

But if all we see are the ‘acts of God’ we miss so much. In Psalm 103:7 we read that God “made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.” All the people of Israel saw were the acts of God—the things that happened, the external stuff, what God did. But by his grace, God made his ways known to Moses. Moses was given the gift of understanding the ways (purposes) of God behind the acts of God.

In Ephesians 1:11 Paul says that God “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” This fact is hidden from our eyes unless we read it in Scripture. Apart from God’s Word, all we see are the acts. But reading it in Scripture does not mean that we have all the answers as to why things happen. It does mean, however, that when we see the acts of God, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, we can know that they are not just accidents, not just random ‘acts of nature,’ but evidences of the activity of a loving, sovereign, just and wise God.

How should we respond to these devastating ‘acts of God’? We should respond with awe, worship, humility, and with prayer and compassion for those affected by them. We should also respond with excited hope, because great mercy often follows mysterious acts. The words of poet William Cowper are profound in this regard:

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.