160,000 people, and Nate Berkus

The recent tsunami in South Asia is, without question, the worst natural disaster of my lifetime (and I'll be forty-something on 13 March 2005!).

It seems like we will never hear the end of the horrors of this event shortly after Christmas Day, 2004.

Nate Berkus--the Chicago-based interior designer, and an Oprah-made "star" in his own right was in Sri Lanka when all of this took place. He is safely back home in Chicago now, from all accounts.

His friend/partner/whatever Fernando wasn't so fortunate. He was swept away in a the flooding, and hasn't been found. He is now, many days later, presumed to be dead. We are very saddened concerning this loss--along with the 160,000 others who lost their lives and faced eternity without even a glimpse of a warning.

Now, the "buzz" is what kind of relationship did Fernando and Nate have anyway? Were they close friends, or a homosexual couple? The "worldwideweb" is afloat with all the innuendoes, speculations, and downright rumors about what Nate meant when he said "my partner Fernando" on his official website, as well as his statement on Oprah's official website (www.oprah.com).

As a committed Christian, I cannot agree with the homosexual lifestyle. But, as a committed Christian, I am firmly resolved to love the persons as purely and as humanely as I possibly can, with the strength that God Himself will grant to me.

As a Christian, my heart breaks to see such devastation in that wonderful part of the world. I went to seminary with three pastors from Indonesia, and I can only imagine the horrific loss the brethren have experienced, if they are still alive.

But this event is very sobering for all of us. We will face God in eternity someday. And more than 160,000 people could testify that facing God could very well be sooner rather than later.

Now, He is a loving, merciful, and righteous God, who seeks to give us life and that even more abundantly than we could ever think or imagine.

Now, this same God has provided a way for us to come into a loving relationship with Himself--His Son, Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can provide us a safe passage from this life into eternity.

There is no other way.

More than 160,000 people, if they could speak now, would tell you the same thing.