If Life Is Valuable, Why Would God Let Thousands of People Die in Natural Disasters?

-Wally Grant People are valuable to God even when He allows them to die in a storm or an earthquake. It is sad for people who are living when someone dies, but when a Christian dies, it’s not a bad thing for that person. The Bible says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Ps. 116:15). Eternal life is even more valuable to God than our lives on Earth. That’s why He allowed His own Son, Jesus, to die—so we could live forever in Heaven after our bodies die. Although death is difficult, we must remember that whatever God does is right.

The people who die who aren’t Christians are just as precious to God: Jesus died so they could be saved from sin too (John 3:16). Jesus never forces anyone to receive the gift He’s given us, but people who are not Christians choose not to receive the gift of eternal life that He offered. This is why we share the story of Jesus with the people we love. Sometimes, after many people die in earthquakes or storms, individuals who survived begin to see that God is real, and some trust Jesus as their Sav­ior. God always uses bad situations for the good of those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). He wants us to share the good news of eternal life with all people, so even when tragedies come on Earth they are able to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.