Why did God allow devastating earthquakes?

The above question rings through people's mind from time to time, especially after major natural disasters like the eathquakes that devastated Indonesia in 2007 and Haiti in 2010, and recently with the landslides in Brazil and China. Is this really a sign that God is incapable of taking control of his universe? In response to this question, I will start by observing that the universe and all within it embody certain natural laws which help things operate the way we observe them do. These laws control the movements of the planets, the gravitational force that maintain both the atmosphere and the moving/moveable objects.

On our planet earth, there are laws that maintain the movement of waters, the atmosphere, the reactions of different things with respect to their interaction with other - the physical, natural, biological and alll other laws. In elementary school I was so intrigued by the geography class on the shape of the earth and the other planets within our solar system. One thing stood out for me after observing that the continents traverse different parts of the globe. I observed to the teacher that the biggest surprise I had was that the people who live in the southern hemisphere (notably Australia) stand with their head downward, yet they do not fall off and continue on to space below them, and those that live along the equator do not feel the pressure of trying to fall off. Though she tried to explain the gravitational force, it was almost impossible for me to comprehend at that time. The one thing I was convinced of is that there must be a way that God keeps things the way he wants.

That having been said, when things like earthquake occur, the first thing that comes to people's minds is the enormous suffering and pain felt by all the people it affects. Unfortunately, these people often have no control over how things turn out. We often wish that these things never happen, but they are bound to happen.

The earth is created to maintain itself through certain processes. Scientists tell us that the core of the earth is a molten fiery magma trying to push its way out through the earth's crust. To get a breather, the earth must every once in a while get the built up magma out through cracks on it's surface. When the forces of this enormous energy in the earth push the rigid shell beyond what they can handle, the rocks shift at specific places known as faultlines. The force of this energy burst moved everything above it in different ways depending on the intensity. This results in the quake known as earthquake. This is one of the ways the earth maintains itself.

Now, this natural force existed before humans inhabited the earth. That our ancestors did not know exactly the physics behind it would not have any effect on the reality that it will continue to act out once in a while. The unfortunate thing is that if people live along this faultline in the earth, they willl feel the effects of the earthquake depending on their proximity. The natural law tha guides the process of the earth's release of energy through earthquake was there, is still there, and will continue to be there for as long as the globe exists.

I think that the mistake people make is to blame God for what happens when there are laws in nature that control these. There is also the need to point out that for as long as people build and live close to the faultlines, and the earth will continue to release it's energy and maintain itself, there is always the possibility of disasterous earthquakes. Knowing the reality of the earth's movement that results in earthquakes and laws guiding it, it is important that regulations for building in such areas be strict and of very high standard. But the best option is to make the choice not to build along the faultlines.

Does this mean that God has no power to control things? Not really. If God continues to change things to suit human quest, there are probably going to be worse disasters than the ones we have seen as everyone will expect God to act in accordance with his/her wishes. God's power to control things is seen in the establishment of these natural and physical laws which humans and all of creations ought to follow. Ignorance of any of the laws does not nullify it.

When accidents happen (natural or human made), it is important to ask whether such could have been avoided and by what means. God does not take delight in the suffering of any of his creatures. When he allows what is seemingly evil thing to happen, it is not because he is incapable of controlling things, but as a result of humans not understanding and following the laws established in nature. The response to specific situations may differ depending on the circumstances behind it.