We woke on July 4th morning ready to celebrate. What we couldn’t know was that during the wee hours of the morning the water of the Guadalupe River near Kerrville had raged over its banks, washing away everything in its path. By noon, the river breach had surpassed the record holding flood of 1989. By afternoon it was still flooding, and victims were mounting as we stood in spirit with those who were grieving for lost loved ones, the beyond-heroic responders who were putting themselves in harm’s way, and those who were waiting and praying at home for missing family and friends to be found safe. Children at camp, camp counselors and vacationers perished, and the toll kept rising. Some have not yet been accounted for and some will never be found.
We grieve. As humans, we, like the psalmists of old, shake our fists to the heavens in lament and moan: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!” (Ps. 130:1). God, why don’t you hear and answer our prayers for the safety for your daughters? “Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Ps.10:1). Why would a loving God who created those children stand aside and let this happen? “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me!” (Ps. 42:7). Why didn’t You part the waters and lead the precious little girls and their counselors, who were at camp to worship You, out of there to dry ground? Is there no hope?
The answer is, yes. Inasmuch as we lament when we hurt in times such as these, as did the writers of the Psalms, in our anguish we simultaneously acknowledge that expressing our pain and grief to God encompasses elements of faith, love, and hope. This is because through God’s gracious gift of allowing us to lament wholeheartedly, we simultaneously confess our reliance on God’s honesty, trust, understanding, and compassion to help us move forward in our lives. For, if we didn’t believe there was hope for healing, why would we waste our time complaining to God? "Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken,” (Ps. 62:5-6)
On July 6, Rio Texas Conference Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey visited Kerrville and reaffirmed this: “You can just feel the heaviness in this space. And at the same time, we know that we serve alongside a God of hope, a God of possibility, a God that never leaves us or forsakes us, a God that is always promised to be with us.” Amen!
This month, from July 24-26, we have the opportunity to attend Mission u at McMurray Univ. in Abilene, where we’ll learn more about hope in God and God’s work. What a blessing it will be to come together to study, worship, create, laugh, and engage in loving friendship with our HTC UWFaith sisters. If you’re not already registered, please register now. I look forward to being there with you.
-- Karen Kaigler-Walker, HTC Spiritual Growth Coordinator
