Earthquakes, tsunamis, radiation and war … oh, my!

Folks are talking about the end of the world and nuclear annihilation.

I have a hard time handling this kind of seemingly senseless destruction. I wonder where the Creator is and why He would allow such utter misery. I agonize over the question: Why?

Why the destruction? Why the deaths? Why the suffering? Why the wars?

I don't profess to be a prophet or sage, but I believe I was given something of a breakthrough the other night.

I was bored with a TV show and was aimlessly flipping through the channels when my attention was grabbed by a show on the Animal Channel. I caught the show in the middle and was horrified to see a large polar bear latched on to the neck of a walrus.

The poor, frightened walrus strained helplessly, attempting to get away from the savage jaws of the bear as the other walruses bleated helplessly.

I was aghast, unable to believe that the horrible bear was going to actually kill the walrus in front of my very eyes.

Suddenly the walrus lurched into the water, goring the bear with his sharp tusks. The bear released his hold and, barely able to move from the pain of his injury, limped slowly back to shore.

The bear then scratched out a shallow bed and lay down to die.

I was immediately sorry for the bear. Sorry for his hunger and sorry for his pain. As sorry for his death as I was for the walrus when it faced death at the hands of the bear.

This time the walrus got away and the bear perished. Next time ...?

Somewhere in this short story a light was thrown on in the darkness of my confusion. I don't know why the earthquake had to happen. I don't know why the tsunami had to follow. I don't know why innocent people suffer.

But while I stare in horror at the wreckage of so many lives, I was given a reminder that I don't know the whole story. What I see is only the middle.

I was given a reminder that I wasn't here when this world’s story began, and I haven’t seen its end. I came only into the middle of its story, so my perspective is limited by what I presently see.

Yet I believe in a Creator who made the walrus and the bear. One who knows the beginning and the end.

And somehow that gives me comfort.

***
D. Barbara McWhite grew up in York County, S.C., and lives in Orange Park, Fla., with her husband and cat.

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