Earthquakes in Venezuela

Thann BennettNewsFaith
Written By Thann Bennett

The death toll has passed 1,700 and continues to rise after back-to-back major earthquakes and at least one significant aftershock in northern Venezuela. The initial quakes hit Wednesday and measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. An aftershock measuring 4.6 shook the region on Monday and complicated rescue efforts. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed the presidency after former President Nicholas Maduro was seized by the U.S. in January, is responsible for overseeing the rescue and recovery efforts, after which the rebuilding will begin.

Analysis and eternal perspective: Life on Earth is both short and fragile. We are reminded of these truths regularly in the stories we consider. What seems certain in one moment is gone forever in the next. It is a reality of our temporary home.

We return to reminders of this truth not because we aim to be flippant about the gift of life of Earth, but in fact for the exact opposite reason: time is short for reaching those who are without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!

So many things—many of them important in their own right—demand and consume our time. But only one thing—the pursuit to know God and make Him known—truly matters in the end.

As you pray for those who are hurting (Rom. 12:15), and as you look for ways to lend practical assistance (Matt. 25:35-40), consider anew how you are prioritizing the precious and fleeting commodity of time on Earth. No matter how long a life you are gifted, time is short. Seize the day!

Thann Bennett

Thann Bennett is the Founder and President of Every Good Work, which exists to equip Jesus followers for a life of impact. His weekly newsletter, The Equipped, helps Jesus followers engage current events through a lens of the True and the beautiful. Thann and his wife, Brooke, are co-Founders of A Fearless Life, which works to find and fund a family for every adoption-eligible foster child in America. Thann has more than two decades of high-level public policy experience, with a particular focus on the U.S. Congress and the United Nations. He is the author of In Search of the King and My Fame His Fame. Thann and Brooke live in southern Maryland with their three children: Jude, Gambrell, and Hope, as well as a host of farm animals. The Bennetts are longtime members of the National Community Church family in Washington, D.C.

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