Daily Devo
Finding Hope in Tragedy
By: Kim Garrett
Friday, July 25, 2025
Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. Song of Songs 8:7
Most of us were horrified by the devastation and loss of life in the Texas' flooding. The river rose 28 feet in 45 minutes at 3:30am, which made preparation and escape difficult. The severe loss of life sent a shockwave of grief through their community. I stared at my computer screen scrolling through pictures of missing children, tearing up as I thought about my own. Once again, I'm reminded: life is fickle, we vacillate between joy and sorrow, celebration and lament, happiness and grief. We work hard to make our lives comfortable and predictable, but unexpected tragedies bring more questions than answers... Is anything constant? Will things ever go back to normal?
There's an old hymn I like titled, "This is My Father's World." But is it currently? The short answer is "Yes" because God is sovereign. He has full authority over the heavens and the earth (Isaiah 40:22) and His plans can't be thwarted (Job 42:2). God created our world and formed man, giving him dominion (rule) over the earth back in Genesis. But when Adam and Eve sinned, they forfeited that dominion to Satan. The moment sin kicked in, earth changed. Now, nothing exists as God intended, but it will someday...
God may have granted Satan temporary control of the earth, his dominion is limited to unbelievers. Christ followers have God on their side, so Satan isn't our ruler! His only power over us is temptation. But until Christ returns, evil will roam the earth, and tragedies will continue to happen. But take heart, we know how this story ends. One day, Jesus will return and kick Satan to the curb! Christ will rule, and a new version of earth will replace this broken one. Then, earth will be the eternal paradise God designed.
- Until then; We must prepare ourselves spiritually; staying close to God's heart.
- Until then; We must wait with expectancy; eagerly anticipating Christ's return.
As we wait, we have three unchangeable things to help us: God, His promises, and His Word. He is everlasting and His love is unfailing. That means we'll never be alone or abandoned! But on this side of eternity, we will weep. On the other side there will be never-ending joy and laughter. If those Texas floods are still heavy on your heart, don't forget most of them perished at a church camp. If they were following Jesus, they're sitting at His feet right now, waiting for their parents to arrive! Don't dwell on the seen, focus on the unseen... Above all, Trust God. He loves His children!
Read: Isaiah 41:10, 43:1-2; John 10:10