3 Things a Tsunami Taught Me About Disobedience

This past July, there was a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia, which set off tsunami alerts and evacuations across the Pacific. Living in Hawai’i, we received emergency notifications on our phones and sirens sounded throughout each neighborhood, alerting us of an impending tsunami that was predicted to arrive by early evening, giving us islanders about 4-5 hours to prepare and move to higher ground if need be. 

Thankfully, we live far enough inland to be outside of a possible flood zone, but people who live or work near the coastal areas were told to evacuate immediately. Hotels and resorts told vacationers to move up to higher floors. Officials cautioned people to stay off beaches. Warning sirens sounded every hour to remind people to get somewhere safe as quickly as possible. 

About 1 hour before the first wave was predicted to hit, I turned on the local news to stay informed on what was happening in real time. Every news station had cameras positioned on high structures pointing out to the coastline and ocean. ​​

As my husband and I watched and waited, we were shocked to see numerous people, mostly tourists, standing on the beach watching the shore. They were relaxed, many of them laughing and joking. It wasn’t that they were unaware of the potential danger approaching. They were simply unaffected by it. 

I won’t go so far as to say why these people chose to ignore the warnings, whether it was curiosity, an adventurous spirit, or just plain foolishness. Whatever the reason, they all chose to pay no heed to the pleadings of officials to head to safety. 

Thankfully, the waves that hit the Hawaiian islands ended up being minimal, as was the damage, and there were no serious injuries reported. But even weeks later, l still cannot get the visual out of my mind of so many individuals blithely ignoring good sense to satisfy whatever reason they felt was worth the risk. 

The more I have thought about it, the more the Lord has helped me to recognize so many good lessons on the danger of disobedience and the foolishness of relying on our own understanding. Heeding the warnings and wisdom of Scripture isn’t just one option for the believer; it is the only option. Allow me to share 3 truths that have particularly resonated with me. ​

1. Disobedience ignores consequences.
   I have to wonder if any of the people who stayed out on the beach that day gave much thought to the devastating consequences they could face by remaining there. But whether good or bad, consequences are inevitable. Everything we do, from our small daily choices to the big, weighty decisions, has outcomes. When we choose to disobey God or to ignore the wisdom of His Word, we will reap the consequences of those choices. 
   
   “One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.” Proverbs 14:16
   
   “Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.” Proverbs 19:29
   
   Our sin doesn’t just affect us but others as well. It can impact our relationships with others, causing tension and strain. We can lead others astray or cause them deep pain and suffering.
   
   Consider the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness. Their repeated disobedience, complaining, and lack of trust in God led an entire generation to be denied entry to the Promised Land. 
   
   God doesn’t give us consequences to be vindictive or vengeful, but rather as a means of turning our stubborn hearts back to Him. And we should never presume that because our consequence is delayed, our sin is okay. God is often merciful to us, but that mercy is not a license to continue in sin, but rather “the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience... is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). 
   
   Our sinful choices, no matter how minor they may seem to us, are of great significance to God. He implores us in His Word to remember that our sin is costly, not just for us but also for His Son, who gave His life for us. When we are tempted to act foolishly and ignore the effects of our sin, we would do well to heed His Word and fix our eyes on the cross. 
   
   
2. Disobedience hardens our hearts.
   When we repeatedly sin, something happens to our hearts. We become desensitized to sin. Over time and with continued habit, our disobedience will lead us to a place where the conscience is no longer pricked with guilt. We can sin without remorse. 
   
   This is a dangerous place because if our hearts are hard, we will no longer be sensitive to God’s Word or His will. We will be spiritually blind. Worst of all, instead of living in dependence on God, we will be slaves to our own pride, desires, and flawed wisdom.
   
   “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” ​Proverbs 16:25
   
   Shortly after moving to Hawaii, our family visited a fairly busy tourist spot where I overheard a conversation between a tourist and a local. The curious tourist asked, “What is the most dangerous thing on the island?” To this, the local replied, “You are.” Seeing the confusion on the tourist’s face, the local clarified, “If you are respectful of customs and act with caution and wisdom, then you are perfectly safe. But if you are rude, foolish, and reckless, then you are your own greatest danger.” 
   
   Friend, we would do well to keep this mindset as followers of Christ. Left to ourselves, our desires and our foolish wisdom, we are a great danger to ourselves. We can delude ourselves into thinking we have all the answers, but without Christ, we have none. Let us embrace humility, repentance, and submission rather than ever allowing continued disobedience to harden our hearts.
   
   
3. Disobedience cheapens grace. 
   Grace is a crucial part of our faith as believers. It is because of grace that we can be forgiven of our sins and made right with God. It is the free and unmerited favor of God toward sinners. Yes, grace is free, but that doesn’t mean it is cheap. In fact, the grace of God is incredibly costly. 
   
   However, if we are honest, we can often treat it as something of little value rather than something of great value. In his book The Cost of Discipleship, well-known German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before…. Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world’s standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin.”
   
   Bonhoeffer challenged that we ought to believe in “costly grace.” He explains that “such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly. It condemns sin and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: ‘ye were bought at a price,’ and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us.” 
   
   When we live in a pattern of disobedience or minimizing our sin, we are effectively saying that both Christ’s death and the grace He offers us as a result are cheap, because we can use them without cost to us. Grace is not a get-out-of-jail-free card to save us from the penalty of sin, but it still allows us to live how we want. 
   
   Grace was purchased for us at the high price of Christ’s sacrificial death. In turn, we are called as His followers to live a life that pursues Him, to repent, and to live a new life in Him. This is why Paul urges believers to “put to death therefore what is earthly in you” and "put off the old self with its practices and put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:5-10). 
   
   Grace is not a license to sin. Cheap grace lets us remain as we are, but costly grace doesn’t leave us unchanged—it calls us higher. It stirs us to repent, put our sin to death, and walk worthy of His calling to a transformed, righteous life.

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“Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before…. Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world’s standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin.” --Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

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Disobedience is ultimately the choice to reject God’s Word, His wisdom, and direct commandments. Obedience is a decision to humble ourselves and submit to God, even when things don’t make sense to us. Although the people who ignored the warnings of an impending tsunami were not hurt this time, their choice to disregard good sense and wisdom may one day lead them to circumstances where the outcome is not so favorable. 

For the Christian, Scripture is clear regarding the consequences of continued disobedience. And although we may be tempted to be flippant or indifferent towards God’s counsel, our failure to obey and submit ourselves to God’s loving rule in our lives will ultimately lead us down a destructive and painful path. Scripture isn’t a buffet from which we can pick and choose what we like, and then leave the rest. Each inspired word is meant to instruct, guide, correct, and sanctify us — something God is committed to doing since He has already paid such a high price for us to make us His own. 

If you are struggling with obeying God in a particular area, repent and begin today to submit to His will for your life. As pastor and author Paul David Tripp has said, “There is no better expression of gratitude for God’s grace than a life of willing surrender, joyful obedience, and faithful service."

When we recognize the “tsunami warnings” God gives us through His Word, do we treat them as urgent calls to obedience—or do we, like the tourists on the beach, stand still, assuming the danger won’t really reach us?