We live in days when so much information is available to us and even then we know so little about the total knowledge available. In July 2023 it was announced by the World Meteorological Organisation that El Niño was confirmed which is a weather pattern that has worldwide effects. Such an occurrence is not new and has been known for many generations. It was given its name in the 1600s when Peruvian fishermen noticed that the water was warmer around Christmas time and this affected the weather and reduced their catch of fish. They gave the phenomenon the name of ‘El Niño de Navidad’ which simply means ‘the Christmas Boy’.
An El Niño is usually announced when surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean near the equator increase by half a degree centigrade over a three month period. Such occurrences happen every two to seven years and can last from nine to twelve months. Usually in the Pacific the trade winds move from east to west and so move warm water towards Australia and S.E. Asia. The warm water is replaced by cold water from the depths of the ocean which is nutrient-rich and the process is known as ‘upwelling’. During an El Niño for reasons which are not fully known the process is reversed and great masses of warm water flow to the east and reach the Americas. The result is that normally dry areas of Peru, Chile, Mexico and as far north as SW USA are deluged with rain. This can produce landslides and leave many people homeless.
El Niño affects have been witnessed both in time and area. People have speculated that it was El Niño that caused the Mayan civilisation in the Yucatan of Mexico to collapse in 900AD and the Spanish troops under Pizarro in 1531 who so easily conquered the Inca Empire were greatly helped by being able to sustain their long march inland by the heavy rainfall in what are usually arid areas. It is even said that the French Revolution could have been the result of El Niño as it caused poor crop yields in Europe which led to the peasant uprising. In geographical spread El Niño is said to have caused widespread wildfires by making some areas much dryer than usual and areas that produce grain and sugar could be affected and therefore there could be shortages of these vital foodstuffs. Also the El Niño of 2015-16 is said to have killed off nearly a third of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef.
All this reminds us that the world is an inter-connected entity and some problems are still not solved even by the greatest minds and the most advanced scientific methods. At a personal level we need to remember that we are not simply living isolated lives, making decisions that only affect us individually or just our family. The life we lead affects other people as for example what we buy in a supermarket affects the lives of producers who may live on the other side of the world. Our words and actions on a daily basis can impact upon those we meet and interact with. We need to think through what we do and say to realise the positive or negative affects both on ourselves and on others. Also in a coming day every word, action and thought will be judged by God. We are answerable and instinctively know that we will one day give an account. The Judge will be fair because we know that the Judge of all the earth (that’s God) will do right. He will act with justice but today He offers us mercy, namely the forgiveness of sin through the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. That is His offer which is open to anyone and everyone who will believe and exercise trust in Christ. What a blessing to be a believer in the Lord Jesus.
DAILY MESSAGES WITH MEANING (29/10/25)
Written by PAUL YOUNG
All photos courtesy of Unsplash
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