The Safest Place in an Earthquake? Right Where I Am

That evening of April 25, we checked the news as a family. It was shocking. The Dharahara Tower was gone. Houses had turned to rubble. Kathmandu was in chaos. The death toll rose every minute. “over 100, and expected to rise” . . . “200, 300, 400.” My mother went to the store to get something. By the time she was back, it was over 700.

The seismologists’ reports were crazy. A 8.1 earthquake or 7.9 or 7.8 ? Did anyone care? Where was the epicenter? Lamjung? Nuwakot? They moved it half a dozen times. But they didn’t move it — it had already happened . . .

It was all like a dream. I could hardly believe that this was happening to my country. It seemed so far away . . .That tremor we felt in the afternoon, how could it have wreaked so much havoc? But — we were the closest city to the epicenter . . . how did this area escape the destruction?

* * * * * * *

It was not very relaxing, trying to sleep that night. Every few minutes, the house would creak and groan with the aftershocks. It was so continual that it seemed as if it would never stop. Were we the only ones sleeping at home, in the third floor, that night in Nepal? Maybe. Maybe not.

What if the ceiling falls when I’m sleeping? I don’t care if I die, really. But I don’t want it to hurt. I don’t want to be trapped. I can’t bear the thought of being trapped and helpless. My brother! Especially not my brother. . .

I was paralyzed with the thought. I felt as if I were glued to the bed. Dozens of news pictures flashed through my head.

“But you’re safe here, girl. We’re all safe. This is where God placed you, and can’t you trust Him to take care of you?” Yes. “When you’re in the center of God’s will, that the safest place on earth.” Yes, where did I read that? “Doesn’t matter. Go to sleep.”

It didn’t matter after that. Though the aftershocks continued to rock the house all night, I knew I was in the center of God’s will, and that was all that mattered.

What's the purpose

What does that mean? What is your life purpose?

Purpose. It’s a strange word. If you keep staring at it long enough, the spelling starts looking odd. To me, at least.

Purpose. Purpose. Purpose. Saying that seems so strange.

But that’s beside the point. . . .

Purpose started circling my head today (and it’s not unusual), so I’ve started writing in order to share it with you.

You see, I finished my TEEX Cyber Security 101 course today (I need to write a course review soon). Immediately, I started planning for my next course. I am pretty excited because I have just 2 courses and one test remaining to finish up before I transfer to my target college.

So, anyhow. I looked at the calendar. And I began to put things in: travel, coaching call, travel, church programs, travel, church programs, travel. . .

All of a sudden, my spirit sighed within me, “I don’t want to do Microbiology. At all.” I don’t know how that happened, but right away, my heart decided that I didn’t want to do anything.

But. “I have to do something!” I thought. “What am I doing now, anyway?” College. A BS in Elementary Education.

I frowned. “I don’t think I want to do that for the rest of my life.” But I have to do something. But what? “I wonder what made me choose that degree, anyhow.” Then and there, I became so tired of it all; I could have sulked.

My stupid mind cleared up only after I got a drink of water. . .

Purpose.

I’d forgotten the purpose for which I was doing all these things. The things didn’t so matter in and of themselves, but they were leading me to the purpose.

And what was my purpose? I think I must have bouts of amnesia or something. . .

My purpose is to serve God. He has given me a passion and a burden for children, remember? “Oh, yes. . . vaguely.”

Mhmm. But service isn’t the true purpose. There is a greater purpose. “Oh?”

Yup. He loved me. He bought me from the cruel master. He bought me with His own blood. He bought me so that I could be free from the cruel master. He bought me for Himself. Now I am His. “Oh. . . it seems to come back to me now. A little bit. . . ”

Good. Listen, I am His now. He is my master. I don’t have to serve the cruel one anymore. Jesus is my Master now, and will I not love Him? “Oh, yes! Of course!”

Truly. And if I love Him, will I not obey Him? “Sure! He has said that if I love Him, then I am to keep His commandments.”

Then, what is His commandment? “Well. . . there are lots. . . like in Ephesians 4 and 5 and 6 and Colossians. . . ”

No, stop. I didn’t mean that. I did, but in a different way. . . You see, keeping those commandmentsdoes show my love for Him, but that’s not what He really saved me for. Don’t you remember? “Oh, yes! I do — now! He called me into Himself. It was so that I can have fellowship with Him.”

And I begin to smile all at once. . . and the whole world seems different.

Purpose. .  .

Life has purpose now it never had before.
There is meaning to each day and even more;
For a joy and peace I can’t explain is mine,
Since I found new life in Christ, my Lord divine.

Oh, it is wonderful to be a Christian;
Oh, it is wonderful to be God’s child!
Oh, it is wonderful to have your sins forgiven;
Oh it is wonderful to be redeemed, justified, forever reconciled!

— John W. Peterson