A mixture of thoughts and emotions swept over me when I heard that a plane had crashed near Pittsburgh, killing everyone aboard. I felt numb. So many people were suddenly ushered into eternity. I thought about the panic that swept over the passengers and crew as the plane hurtled downward. I wondered how many were ready to meet the Lord. My heart went out to those who had loved ones or friends on that flight.

When I learned that two of my friends had flown into Pittsburgh a week earlier with the same airline, I thought of the words of Jesus found in Luke 13:1-5.

Why did those people die? Not because they were any better or worse than the rest of us. Since all of us sin, none of us has a right to think we are too good to die this way. There's no room for self-righteous smugness. Nor is there room for bitter complaint. In our fallen world, death comes to all of us--one way or another--in God's own time.

Disasters are a call to repentance. They should remind us of our need to confess our sins and turn to Jesus for salvation or renew our commitment to Him.

Lord, help us to respond properly whenever we are confronted by tragedy.  — Herbert Vander Lugt