EXPERIENCING GOD IN TRAGEDY

It was early Friday morning, between 3 am and 4 am, that a deadly flash flood swept through Camp Mystic, a 99-year-old nondenominational Christian summer camp, in Kerr County, Texas. About 700 children were staying at the camp when the flash flood occurred. According to the news, the Guadalupe River rose by an estimated 26 feet in just 45 minutes due to heavy overnight rainfall, catching everybody by surprise, including officials who were unable to issue timely evacuation orders. As a result, 40 adults and 28 children died, while many more remain missing in Kerr County. It is really difficult to think about the tragedy and sadness that occurred in Kerr County. Many lives had been devastated and changed forever. A couple lost their two young daughters and their grandparents. One could ask the question, "Where was God when all these things happened?" "Did He not care about the children who died in the tragedy?" When a tragedy hits us by surprise, the only thing that can hold us together is our faith in God. We must trust that God is in control. He is good and always with us, even during the most tragic times.

We experience suffering and death in this world because of the consequences of sin, and this is the reason our Lord Jesus came to die on the cross to save us. This world is not our final home, but there is a place that awaits us where there will be no more pain, sorrow, and death. Those who genuinely believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior and lost their lives in this tragedy are now in Heaven—in the very presence of God. God was with those children when they were swept away by the raging waters, and He cared about them. It was time for them to go home according to God's sovereign plan. Their families will miss them, but there will be a time of reunion in

Heaven, when everything is all said and done. 

Experiencing God in difficult times brings comfort and strength that surpasses our ability to comprehend. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Why do people experience suffering and death in this world? Why did Jesus die on the cross for my sins? Where is my final home? 

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, it saddened me to hear about the tragedy that happened in Kerr County. My heart goes out to those families who have been affected by this tragedy. Please comfort them and help them rebuild their lives. Thank you for those who put their faith in you and died from this tragedy are now with you in Heaven. Thank you for the hope that we have in you. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.