2004年，我的朋友，劉錦發先生和他妻子，住在馬來西亞，檳榔島。劉太太有親人，家離開海岸只有十公尺的距離。因為他們每天欣賞美麗的風景，所以很喜歡住在這熱帶海島。但是，2004年12月26日，那天，他們的房子，差一點，就變成他們的棺材。
蘇門答臘島的地震和隨後在十一個國家引發的海嘯，使得二十一萬多人喪命。更多的人失去了親人，房屋，財產等，甚至於失去了希望。
面對這樣壓倒我們的災難時，我們可以說什麼呢？我們從哪裡可以獲得力量使得我們忍受得住？
身為基督徒的我，把《聖經》打開，閱讀從亘古以來的信息，說：神就是愛；《聖經》又說，神離受害之人不遠。《聖經》詩篇的作者說，“我的幫助從何而來。我的幫助從造天地的耶和華而來”。
面對災難之時，既不是離開真神之時，又不是懷疑神的同在和愛的時候。相反地，是個機會讓我們獲得只有神能賜下的力量。
《聖經》確認，“義人呼求，耶和華聽見了…耶和華靠近傷心的人，拯救靈性痛悔的人”（詩篇34:17-18）。
除了喪命者以外，海嘯影響了數百萬還活着的人。神願意把他的愛賜給他們每一位。神願意親近我的朋友，劉太太和他的家人；神也願意親近您和我。神願意安慰那些傷心的和拯救那些靈性痛悔的。神願意幫助那些死裡逃生者，把他們易碎的生命再次建造起來，而且賜給他們希望。
《聖經》舊約，以賽亞書，記載說，當神的子民面對國難時，基礎設施都毀壞了，神預知該國重新建造。神用以下的話描繪他子民的未來：“古老的廢墟將由你們重新建起，在流傳下來的根基上復興。你們將被稱為重建城牆和修復居民區的人”（以賽亞書58:12 普通話本）。如果那時候，在古代的中東，神能夠使得屬於他的人重建他們的國家，今天神也能夠使得在亞洲所屬於他的人重新建造他們的國。
請您讓天上的神運行在您的生命上，允許他安慰您破碎的心靈，讓他拯救您壓碎的的靈魂。請您立下決心要成為一位“重建城牆和修復居民區的人”。
In 2004, my friends, Kin Fatt and Chrissy Lau, lived in Penang, Malaysia. Chrissy has relatives whose home is only ten meters from the Penang beach. They enjoy their daily views of the sea and they love their home on this tropical island. On December 26, 2004, however, their home almost became their coffin.
The Sumatran earthquake and tsunami claimed at least 210,000 lives in eleven nations. Many more people lost their relatives, their homes, their possessions and in some cases their hope.
What do we say when we face tragedy as overwhelming as this tsunami? Where do we go for strength when we face such massive loss of life?
As a Christian, I turn to the Bible and in that book I find the message that has echoed through the millenniums—that God is love and that God is near. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth,” said a writer of the Psalms [121:2].
Tragedy is not the time to turn away from God or to doubt his presence or love; rather it is an opportunity to receive from him the strength that only he can give.
The Bible affirms that, The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them… The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit [Ps. 34:17-18].
In addition to those who perished, the tsunami affected hundreds of thousands of people who are still alive. God’s love is available to each of these people. God wants to be close to my friend Chrissy and her family and he wants to be close to you and to me. God wants to comfort the brokenhearted and to save those who are crushed in spirit. God wants to help put the fragile pieces of life back together for those who survived the tsunami and to help them restore hope.
In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, when God’s people faced a national crisis and most of the country’s infrastructure had been destroyed, God foresaw the rebuilding of the country and described his people with these picturesque words: Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings [58:12]. If God could enable his people in the ancient Middle East to rebuild their country then, he can enable his people in Asia to rebuild today.
Allow God to work in your life, permit him to comfort your broken heart, give him rein to save your crushed spirit. Determine to become a Repairer of Broken Walls and a Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
【天災】一：生還者的希望——神的愛
Natural Disasters (1): Hope for Survivors: God’s Love
作者：謝德華 ©By Edward Short
World Christian Broadcasting