Earthquake

 New Zealand is a beautiful country. It’s difficult to drive anywhere without admiring the varied and lush scenery. That’s if you don’t mind driving on the wrong side of the street; after all, North Americans drive on the right side of the street.

But there are a couple of experiences I could do without. Doors on restaurant and motel toilets rarely see an oil can and squeal like a thousand drowning rats, announcing your business to all and sundry. But my favourite whinge is the earthquakes. We’ve already felt a couple of tremors since our arrival.

New Zealand sits squarely on the “ring of fire,” that encircles the Pacific and affects countries on the Pacific Rim. This creates spectacular scenery of thermal valleys, volcanoes and hot springs. And this week, Christchurch remembered its earthquake causing destruction and loss of life two years ago.

It’s a vivid reminder that not only humankind, but the whole creation is behaving contrary to its preordained mandate. But one day “the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay, and brought into the glorious freedom of the Children of God.” (Romans 8:21)