Pastor's Weekly Word

A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. (Luke 8:23)

The tornadoes hit. We know that it will happen sometimes, that we are not immune from natural disasters, but still, we hope it never comes. It did on Sunday. One of the tornadoes ripped through my old neighborhood in Preston Hollow. After the storm, I began seeing posts from friends. My friend’s pizzeria at Preston and Royal is gone. Another friends parents live right behind there, and their street looks like a warzone. Still another friend’s house that he grew up in was destroyed. The Home Depot on Forest that was destroyed is right next to where my wife, Denise, works at Presbyterian Village North. Fortunately every one is alright. There were no deaths related to the storm, and I am thankful.

Still, when a storm hits so close to home, it does something to you. You feel robbed of something special, like a thief walked in and took one of your cherished things from you. It hurts and leaves you a little empty inside. This is where the community of faith can turn the tide. When someone has been hurt or feels rejected or threatened, the offerings of other people can be a Godsend. In the case of the tornadoes, it has been all the outreach of those I know to make sure others are alright. The past couple of days have been a flurry of making sure people are ok and safe. It is a hopeful sign of our true selves, reminding us all that, deep down, we aren’t the ogres we think we are and are, in fact, good souls who love and care for one another. I can’t help but think of it as a gift of God.