Psalm 105

He sent darkness, and made the land dark;
they rebelled against his words.
He turned their waters into blood,
and caused their fish to die.
Their land swarmed with frogs,
even in the chambers of their kings.
He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
and gnats throughout their country.
He gave them hail for rain,
and lightning that flashed through their land.
He struck their vines and fig trees,
and shattered the trees of their country.
He spoke, and the locusts came,
and young locusts without number;
they devoured all the vegetation in their land,
and ate up the fruit of their ground.
He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the first issue of all their strength.

Is this how God behaves?

Was the Tuscaloosa tornado designed to persuade some and free others?

Was the earthquake-and-tsunami in Japan intended to awaken us to God's purpose?

Is the continuing misery in Haiti divine judgment for our discernment?

The random complexity of nature and free will of humankind can each produce terrible outcomes. There may be meaning to be found. But I do not expect to find specific divine intent. I have experienced God-with-me in the midst of pain. I have never found God to be the cause of pain.

Psalm 105